Bird flu...tick tick tick

more cases of human to human bird flu transmission...this time in Pakistan...this is "Stage Three":the jump from bird/human to human human transmission...several other suspected "jumps" of the virus in Indonesia..and China.......next step: Pandemic...tick tick tick

Think you're safe? The Pakistani family's cousin visited them last month...he lives in NewYork.

And now they have found the Birdflu genes in Swine influenza
genome. Since pigs are mammals, most human influenza evolves because it jumps from pigs to humans...

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) researchers have identified a new strain of swine influenza -- H2N3 -- that belongs to the group of H2 influenza viruses that last infected humans during the 1957 pandemic. This new strain has a molecular twist: It is composed of avian and swine influenza genes.

Bird flu is also bad news for poutry farms in Asia...Poultry is about 1% of the economy, but farmers who have to cull their poultry can end up bankrupt...not to mention the anguish in being forced to kill one's favorite fighting cock....and in the UK, turkey culls to prevent spread have made the traditional Turkey dinner expensive..