Healthy Skepticism Library item: 5229

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

 

Publication type: news

Rovner S.
Health Talk: Mixed Bag
The Washington Post 1983 Oct 21

Full text:

Nobody who’s ever had it – and of course practically everyone has – would disagree that the flu is for the birds.

But an article in the November Science 83 quotes flu-versed scientists who maintain that it is from the birds as well. Specifically, scientists have discovered, wild ducks and other migrating wild waterfowl seem to be natural incubators of flu viruses that do the birds no harm at all, but that can produce more or less serious infections in a wide variety of animals – including humans. Because the birds are global travelers, so are the viruses. Scientists also are beginning to understand why the flu virus can mutate so rapidly – because of a peculiar genetic structure—and they are getting close to a vaccine they hope will work on all flu viruses, no matter how they mutate. Meanwhile, with the flu season almost upon us, specialists are recommending the currently available flu vaccine (good against three flu varieties expected to be around this year) for those populations especially at risk for the potentially fatal flu complications: * People over 65 years of age. * Anyone with immune system disorders. * Anyone with chronic heart or lung disorders, diabetes or kidney diseases. Some antivirus drugs now available can shorten the duration of the flu-ey symptoms and head off an epidemic in a closed environment like a school or nursing home, if the vaccine was given too late or turned out to be the wrong formula.