Who is Most Vulnerable to Bird Flu

Right now, the people must vulnerable to bird fluimmune systems
are those who come into close and frequentPregnant women
contact with infected chickens and other poultry.Seniors, because they have lowered immunity
Therefore, the main danger is to rural farmersPeople with AIDS, because their have low CDC4
and chicken sellers in Asia and Africa. Anybodycounts
who slaughters chickens, plucks their feathers,People who're HIV+, though it's not yet known
eviscerates and cooks chickens. Anybody whojust how much more at risk they are of catching
sells their raw meat in a market. Anybody whobird flu, it's only logical that any stress on their
attends a cockfighting match, because fightingimmune systems will increase the risk that the
cocks spray blood into the air.HIV in their bodies will replicate more quickly
Their children seem to be most at risk. That'sPeople undergoing radiation or chemo therapy for
probably because they play and pet the chickenscancer
that run wild in their villages, they play in the dirtPeople who're taking immune-suppressing drugs
that's infected with chicken droppings and theybecause of organ transplants
have undeveloped immune systems.People with chronic breathing or respiratory
Anybody who eats raw or undercooked chickenproblems such as asthma or chronic pulmonary
or eggs from infected chickens is at risk. That isdisorder
why Vietnam is discouraging its people fromPeople with heart disease, because they're more
preparing a traditional dish of raw duck blood soup.at risk from the stress of fighting a case of bird
Right now, this applies to people in rural Asia,flu
Africa and Europe. When H5N1 spreads to NorthIf you fall into any of the above groups, avoid all
and South America, it could apply also to smallcontact with anybody who could be carrying the
farmers who raise chickens the traditional way.bird flu virus. Wash your hands well and often.
Modern chicken factory farming protects chickensConsult with your doctor.
from contact with wild fowl and other outsideDuring 1918, the flu was particularly fatal to young
birds, so they're unlikely to catch bird flu -- thoughadults who did not fall into any of the above
it's not impossible. People who work in the U.S.groups. They had the problem that their immune
poultry industry are also the most now at risk, sosystems were strong enough to overreact to the
they should follow all guidelines to limit contactinfection and destroyed their lung tissues in order
with live and raw chicken and wash themselvesto save them.
thoroughly after work.This "cytokine storm" does seem to be a danger
If bird flu mutates into a form that is easilywith H5N1 also.
contagious from human to human, we're allHowever, personally I'd rather have a healthy
vulnerable to catching the virus. We should allimmune system to fight H5N1 with, and then use
avoid nonessential contact with people. We shouldVitamin C, Omega 3, over the counter NSAIDs
be careful who we physically touch, since evenand Cox-2 inhibitors (such as aspirin, Aleve,
shaking hands can spread the virus. We should beIbuprofin, Advil or Motrin) or even hydrogen
careful about touching objects that have beenperoxide to reduce the inflammation.
used by others. We should wash our hands wellRight now, people exposed to infected chickens
and often.are most at risk. If bird flu becomes highly
But some groups are particularly vulnerable to birdcontagious, we're all at risk, but people with weak
flu:immune systems are most at risk.
Children, because they have underdeveloped