In the past few days, numerous news sources have reported that a domestic cat in Germany, located on an island where 100s of other birds have been found dead, is confirmed to have been infected with the avian flu. Contrary to many opinion pieces on the subject, though, this is not a sign that the scientific community has been caught unprepared. According to the World Health Organization ( WHO ), studies published in September of 2004 confirmed that cats can carry the flu and transmit it to other cats. Furthermore, there is no evidence that cats "act as a reservoir for the disease."
While I will continue to "bang the drum," so to speak, on matters related to the bird flu (still one of the most dangerous, yet often ignored international national crises today), I do not believe that evidence shows this to be a "new mutation" of the disease or anything of the sort, as, according to the WHO, there have been anecdotal stories of feline fatalaties and transmission to other felines (related to H5N1) in the past.
As always, though, this incident should serve as a reminder to the world that this disease is out there and is very, very real.
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But surely vaccines will protect us!
I share your concern about avian flu, but I think it's getting more attention out in 'the world' than in the US. (Especially in France, where a very big emphasis is placed on the poultry industry) There's some very careful work going on right now with vaccines, and not just in developing them. A new technique for differentiating between vaccinated versus infected animals has been developed, which will hopefully encourage more people to vaccinate. And even though vaccines aren't a fail safe, as some people seem to believe, they play a role in limiting the spread and severity of a disease.
While there is tremendouse concern over this potential, it is very unlikely that there will be enough vaccines available to the general public of our world. However, there are some other means available that may help prevent a person from being infected by this virus. Too much to comment on here, but you can email me at tsubota@gorge.net if you would like, and I will explain further.
Does anyone know if bird flu could be transmitted by swimming in a large body of water (ocean or large lake) in a country with known bird flu? Either by accidental H2O or sand consumption?
Does it sound likely?
Bird flu is readily transmitted via water - waterfowl shed the virus in their droppings which can then remain in the water for weeks. At the current time, the virus is not yet adapted well to humans and the risk of people swimming in water is extremely slight, but I would avoid bringing your pet duck with you! Simple precautions such as nose plugs, wearing a mask and showering with soap after swimming in untreated water are prudent as it would take several weeks from the point the virus adapts to humans to the point that medical workers get infected from their patients, which is how we would know the pandemic has started.