Bird Flu Found in Cat in Germany

Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:55 AM EST

health, germany, european-union, flu, bird-flu, bird

Call for New Bird Flu Shot

NEW VACCINE? Flu viruses _ whether in people or birds _ are always evolving. The current bird flu in Asia, Europe and Africa is now different from the virus sample that was used to make a vaccine to protect people, so a new second vaccine is needed.

WHO'S DOING IT? Once U.S. researchers come up with a new recipe that matches the second version of virus, the government will contract with manufacturers to produce it.

OLD VACCINE? Experts think the first vaccine will be at least partially protective, but they aren't sure. So far, bird flu does not spread efficiently between people, so no vaccine based on the current virus is likely to be entirely protective.

This article is over 14 days old and has been removed by requirement of the Associated Press.

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Public Discussion (13)

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{"commentId":43149,"authorDomain":"ahb"}

AHB

Are cats closer to humans than birds?

{"commentId":43149,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"ahb"}

#1 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:07 AM EST

{"commentId":43154,"authorDomain":"wukong"}

Wukong

This scares me because I was not aware that H5N1 had spread so far. Can somebody tell me how?

{"commentId":43154,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"wukong"}

2 votes

#2 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:11 AM EST

{"commentId":43168,"authorDomain":"ahb"}

AHB

Well I guess it seems like an easy animal to spread to. Considering that it is "bird flu". Cats do like eating those birds they catch.

{"commentId":43168,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"ahb"}

#3 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:26 AM EST

{"commentId":43169,"authorDomain":"savorymedia"}

SavoryMedia

Wouldn't that make it the cat flu now?

{"commentId":43169,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"savorymedia"}

#4 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:27 AM EST

{"commentId":43174,"authorDomain":"wolfanoz"}

Wolfanoz

The pieces are definitely coming together for a mass pandemic.

{"commentId":43174,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"wolfanoz"}

#5 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:31 AM EST

{"commentId":43188,"authorDomain":"savorymedia"}

SavoryMedia

The pieces are definitely coming together for a mass pandemic.

That's what they're saying about Avian Flu. Yes-sir-ee-bob! ...and last year it was SARS...and the year before it was Anthrax...and the year before... I think you get the picture.

Public Enemy had it spot on when they said "don't believe the hype".

{"commentId":43188,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"savorymedia"}

#6 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:49 AM EST

{"commentId":43196,"authorDomain":"kdonovan"}

darwin

Can somebody tell me how?

Think migration patterns. Check out this image.

{"commentId":43196,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"kdonovan"}

2 votes

#7 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:56 AM EST

{"commentId":43201,"authorDomain":"fredbull"}

FredBull

this is old news.

cats in asia already died of H5N1.

however it's the first mammal in Europe.

{"commentId":43201,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"fredbull"}

1 vote

#8 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:58 AM EST

{"commentId":43231,"authorDomain":"rileyjt"}

John Riley

The pieces are definitely coming together for a mass pandemic.

A mass pandemic for birds maybe, not so much for humans yet. If the virus mutates into a form that can be passed from human to human, then the threat of a pandemic takes on a real meaning. However, the mutated virus would then need to spread from its starting point and it would inevitably take on new characteristics - for instance it will likely be far less lethal. Of course, I am no expert, but would suspect that the farther H5N1 spreads, the more opportunities it will have to mutate so seeing it continue to spread is definitely something to be concerned about.

{"commentId":43231,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"rileyjt"}

2 votes

#9 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:19 AM EST

{"commentId":43260,"authorDomain":"mediaman"}

Mediaman

Totally agree with John Riley. H5N1 is a bird flu until it mutates and can be spread between other species. The fear is that it will mutate and become transmittable between humans without contact with infected birds.

{"commentId":43260,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"mediaman"}

#10 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:41 AM EST

{"commentId":43287,"authorDomain":"ahknight"}

Adam Knight

I'm with SavoryMedia here. It's been too long since discovery for this to be that big of a deal later on. Okay, it can, indeed, hop to a cat. That doesn't mean it'll hop to people. If it does hop to a person, there's no guarantee that it'll go to another person.

Just sit back and wait for the world to end naturally, mmkay?

{"commentId":43287,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"ahknight"}

3 votes

#11 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:59 AM EST

{"commentId":43324,"authorDomain":"rimuladas"}

Rimuladas

LOL Adam so true.

{"commentId":43324,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"rimuladas"}

#12 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:31 PM EST

{"commentId":43345,"authorDomain":"critt"}

Critt Jarvis

Wukong,

The BBC offers an interactive map on the spread of bird-flu.

If you want to inform yourself -- have a better understanding of the challenge -- I recommend the Flu Wiki.

{"commentId":43345,"threadId":"13324","contentId":"112574","authorDomain":"critt"}

1 vote

#13 - Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:44 PM EST

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Bird Flu Found in Cat in Germany - Yahoo! News	Yahoo! News	Wed Mar 1
BBC NEWS \| Europe \| German cat gets deadly bird flu	BBC News	Tue Feb 28
Guardian Unlimited \| Special reports \| German pet owners advised to take precautions after cat dies of bird flu	Guardian Unlimited	Wed Mar 1
Europe counts cost of bird flu, fresh cases emerge	Reuters	Fri Mar 3
Official: Bird flu killed 495,000 poultry in Russia	The Houston Chronicle	Thu Mar 2

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Bird Flu Found in Cat in Germany

Call for New Bird Flu Shot

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