What's Really Behind the Bird Flu Outbreaks? by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny

[Guest guest]

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/WRBTBFO.php

ISIS Press Release 19/09/06

What's Really Behind the Bird Flu Outbreaks?

Wild birds, farmyard chickens and people are the victims of bird flu not

the perpetrators ( Fowl Play in Bird Flu ) . Intensive poultry farming and

globalised poultry trade are to blame for creating and spreading the virus

( What Can You Believe About Bird Flu? ) ; but what really causes bird flu

outbreaks?

points the finger at environmental pollutants that disrupt the immune

system, especially dioxins

A fully referenced version of this article is posted on ISIS members'

website. Details here

Key question ignored

Most people would agree that people become sick with a cold or with the flu

when their immune system fails or is suppressed. People and chickens in

Vietnam appear much more susceptible to the deadly effects of H5N1. Has

anyone considered why their immune system fails to protect them? Has anyone

investigated what is suppressing the immune system of migratory birds? I

posed the question to Dr. Thiermann, President of OIE (World

Organization for Animal Health) at the Bird Flu Summit held in Washington

DC in the United States, February 27-28, 2006. He answered: “No one is

looking at this, in fact, no one has even thought about it.” Reporters and

scientists raised the same point during the coffee break.

I believe that an in vestigation into the immunosuppressive effects of

environmental chemicals, particularly dioxins, may shed light on the

seemingly scattered and disconnected outbreaks of bird flu around globe.

The association between dioxin and influenza may explain the high death

rate in Indonesia.

What is Bird Flu?

Influenza viruses are divided into three distinct categories, type A, B, or

C, and a large number of subtypes. The outer shell of influenza A viruses

is covered with two types of protein antigens: haemagglutinin, (H or HA),

and neuraminidase (N or NA). The differences between the H and the N

antigens provide the basis for classifying and naming all the many s

ubtypes of influenza type A viruses.

Influenza A subtypes are either “mildly pathogenic,” causing minimal or no

disease, or “highly pathogenic,” causing serious illnesses and death,

particularly among birds. All outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian

Influenza (HPAI) viruses since the 1980s have been due to antigen subtypes

H5 and H7. The bird flu virus in the news is a highly pathogenic subtype

H5N1. See Fowl Play in Bird Flu [1] for further details.

Dioxins the most toxic chemical on earth

‘Dioxins' is a general term for a complex family of more than 400

chemicals. Dioxins are by-products of industrial processes that combine

chlorine with organic substances such as wood, pulp or paper, in the

presence of heat. Production facilities that manufacture pesticides, smelt

copper and bleach paper all release dioxins. Dioxins can also enter the

environment through the incineration of plastics, particularly those that

burn municipal and medical waste.

Dioxins are highly persistent, and can take more than 15 years to degrade

to half the original concentration. When released into the local water

supplies such as ponds and rivers, they are immediately absorbed by aquatic

life and accumulate in fish. If any dioxins remain, they are rapidly

deposited into the sediment where they will persist virtually forever. From

there, they have the potential to move up the food chain through grasses

and frogs, becoming particularly toxic to humans and waterfowl.

Dioxins disrupt the immune system

Dioxins disrupt the immune system at exposure levels as low as 1.0 ppt

(part per trillion). This is the equivalent of a single drop of liquid

placed in the centre carriage of a ten- kilometre (6.2 miles) long cargo

train [2]. Because chemicals are usually a mixture of toxic and non-toxic

compounds, a score for each chemical is developed called its Toxic

Equivalency (TEQ). The TEQ of any chemical is established by comparing it

to TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin), the most toxic form of

dioxin in the world.

Like other dioxins, TCDD suppresses the activity of cytotoxic lymphocytes

(CTLs), specialized white blood cells that eliminate viruses and bacteria.

There are two main types of “killer” white blood cells, natural killer

cells (NK) and CD8+ cells. Both vigilantly circulate through the

bloodstream, destroying intruders. NK and CD8+ cells do their work by

releasing granules that cause infected cells to break apart, thereby

preventing the virus from replicating. Without fully functioning CTLs, the

host's defences can become overwhelmed by the replicating viruses or

bacteria, which may end up killing the host.

In a healthy individual, only a few NK and CD8+ cells are in circulation,

acting as sentinels. However, if the number of viral particles detected is

on the rise, this calls for a rapid increase in the number of NK and CD8+

cells in circulation. The CTLs release proteins called cytokines, chemical

messengers that recruit dozens of other specialized white blood cells that

are necessary to eliminate the virus. Cytokines are responsible for causing

acute reactions in the body including pain, fever, and inflammation. It is

this “ramping-up” of the immune system that produces the readily recognized

symptoms of “the flu.”

Influenza severity has been correlated with cytokine production. In other

words, the more cytokines released in the presence of an influenza virus,

the more serious the infection and the more potentially deadly the outcome.

There are many different cytokines involved in this complex process, but

the two that are important are IL-12 (interleukin 12) and IFN?

(interferon-gamma). Cytokine IL-12 plays the key role in coordinating the

efforts of the entire immune system's campaign against a virus, while IFN?

facilitates the destruction of cells that contain replicating viruses.

Dioxin in combination with influenza virus results in deadly cytokine storm

Studies with laboratory mice have uncovered a link between dioxin exposure

and the effect of influenza viruses on the immune system.

It turns out that NK and CD8+ cells are exquisitely sensitive to extremely

small concentrations of TCDD. Mice exposed to 100-1 000 ppt of TCDD prior

to the common influenza A viruses died significantly more often than

control mice that were not pre-exposed to the dioxin [3]. In fact, mice

subjected to just 10 ppt of TCDD a week before they were exposed to

influenza A viruses had double the mortality rate compared with the

controls. The researchers noted that this was the “smallest toxic dose ever

demonstrated” to inhibit the ability of the immune system to ward off the flu.

Fluid extracted directly from the lungs of deceased mice demonstrated that

the increased mortality seen in TCDD-exposed mice was due to the intense

inflammatory action of dioxin, and not due to viral infection alone [4]. In

other words, the combination of influenza viruses and dioxin caused so much

inflammation in the lungs due to a massive cytokine storm that normal lung

tissue was destroyed, thereby killing the mice.

Even though the mechanism of how dioxins disrupt the immune system is not

completely understood, there is substantial evidence that exposure to TCDD

significantly inhibits the host's ability to resist influenza. First, in

the presence of dioxin, the “ramping-up” response to release more of the

needed CD8+ and NK cells doesn't occur. Second, TCDD disrupts the immune

response in the lung tissue, suppressing the production of cytokine IL-12.

Without IL-12, other white blood cells are not recruited to aid in the

elimination of the virus. At the same time, TCDD increases the levels of

IFN? by more than 10-fold, leading to massive inflammation, not only

killing infected cells but also causing extreme damage to normal lung

cells. The runaway hyper-production of IFN? and other inflammatory

cytokines is called a ‘cytokine storm'. It is the complications from the

cytokine storm that increases the mortality among TCDD-exposed mice [5].

Interestingly, researchers report that human deaths from H5N1is also caused

by a cytokine st orm [6, 7] ( Where's the Bird Flu Pandemic? ). Recent

studies suggest that H5N1 only replicates efficiently in cells that are

deep within the tissues of the lungs [8]. Perhaps further study will reveal

that it is the combination of H5N1 and dioxin deep in the lung tissue that

leads to demise of the small subset of patients who are critically ill in

the presence of H5N1.

Dioxin in Vietnam through Agent Orange

The volume of herbicides sprayed during the US conflict in Vietnam between

1961 and 1971 has been estimated at more than 19 million litres, with the

highest concentrations deposited over the Mekong Delta in what is now

southern Vietnam. Produced for the US army by several different chemical

companies including T-H Agricultural & Nutrition, Dow Chemical, and

Monsanto, the 1:1 mixture of two herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T was

introduced in 1947 for the control of broad-leave weeds. This defoliant was

later found contaminated with a third chemical, the deadly TCDD. Although a

colourless liquid, the solutions came to be identified by coloured stripes

painted on the transport barrels, and came to be known as Agent Orange.

More than 30 years later, the persistent chemical has remained in the soil

to contaminate the food of local residents and continuing to cause serious

health problems.

In the absence of ongoing aerial spraying, the primary route for dioxin to

enter the body is through food grown on toxic soils. Canadian researchers

found that dioxin levels in soil samples throughout southern Vietnam to be

as high as 898 ppt. The most extreme levels of contamination in the area of

Bien Hung Lake were measured at greater than 1.1 million ppt [9].

In 2002, the levels of dioxin were measured in 16 different food samples

collected from local markets around the Bien Hung Lake, which included the

most commonly consumed meats: free-ranging and cooped chickens,

free-ranging ducks, pork, beef, fish, and a toad. Because duck fat is a

delicacy in Vietnam, fat that remained attached to the flesh was also

tested. The preliminary results were startling. Three of the specimens

contained dioxin levels that were so extraordinarily high they were sent to

a second, independent laboratory for additional analysis. The second lab

confirmed the disturbing results.

Dioxin and other chemical contaminants were detected in all 16 samples. The

selection that stood out as “markedly elevated” was duck fat, with levels

ranging between 276 and 331 ppt wet weight. When the total toxicity score

(TEQ) for the food was tabulated, the score for duck fat ranged from 536 to

550 ppt . The chemicals found in free-ranging chickens ranged from 15 ppt

in the meat to 74 ppt in chicken fat, reflecting the contamination in soil.

To put these elevated levels in perspective, the usual dioxin level found

in food is less than 0.1 ppt [9].

Dioxin and influenza in humans

In May 2006, Indonesia reported a cluster of human bird flu cases that

involved eight family members, seven of whom died. All but one person in

the family appeared to have contracted the virus from another family

member, making this the first reported incidence of H5N1 spreading from one

person to another, and then another. Alarmed officials feared that the bird

flu virus had acquired characteristics that would soon allow easy passage

from human-to-human.

The members of the deceased family lived in a small village in Karo

district located in the Indonesian province of North Sumatra. The Karo

highland borders on Lake Toba, the world's largest volcanic lake, and the

largest lake in Southeast Asia. Lake Toba has been deteriorating since

1998, defen c eless against the onslaught of the province's pulp and paper

mills.

The biggest polluter during the past decade was Indorayon, a paper, pulp

and rayon manufacturer owned by multinational companies and funded by the

World Bank. The mill was forced into temporary closure in 1998 by a

grassroots revolt over the company's destruction of the local environment.

But in 2003, yielding to pressures of its investors and international

bankers, the government allowed the pulp portion of Indorayon to reopen

under the name of PT Toba Pulp Lestari. The company's pulp mills are blamed

for far-reaching environmental degradation due to the continued release of

chlorine and other chlorine compounds such as chlorine oxide,

organochlorines, and dioxins, including TCDD.

There has been an explosion in the number of pulp and paper mills built in

Southeast Asia and Indonesia over the past 15 years, despite loud protests

from local communities. Pulp mills are one of the most polluting processes

in the world. Much of that pollution results from the three million tonnes

of chlorine used annually to bleach wood paper white. Chlorine bleaching is

a major source of dioxin, which is routinely discharged into rivers and

streams with wastewater.

In 2005, there were seven pulp mills, 65 paper mills, and 10 pulp and paper

mills in Indonesia. According to the WHO [10] , 42 of the 54 cases of human

bird flu in Indonesia have died. Could there be a connection between the

arrival of HPIA influenza and the continuing dioxin toxicity in the native

population?

Like the Vietnamese, Indonesians too, have an increased exposure to dioxin

through food. Backyard and free-range hens makes eggs a useful indicator of

overall local environmental contamination through diet.

High levels of dioxin in eggs and chickens

In 2005, the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) sponsored a

study to test eggs of free-range chickens from 20 different locations in 17

countries, including eggs from the Philippines [11].

Dioxin in eggs from the Philippines measured 9.68 ppt, more than 10 times

the 2002 European Union (EU) safe limit for dioxins in eggs, which is 0.75

ppt. In fact, 70 percent of the samples from all 17 countries exceeded this

limit. Because all humans have some level of dioxin in their bodies, more

research is needed to identify the critical dioxin concentration that

triggers an explosive cytokine storm when combined with influenza. This

“significant minimum level” of dioxin must be established to know who is

truly at risk.

Meanwhile, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of individuals with H5N1 influenza

have not been sick enough to require medical care, as confirmed by Dick

, spokesperson for the WHO in March, 2005 [12]. However, as of 26

July 2006, there have been 93 reported cases of bird flu in Vietnam with 42

deaths [10] , a high death rate, though not quite as high as Indonesia.

An investigation should be undertaken to determine if those who died had

significantly higher concentrations of dioxin in their body than those who

have been exposed to H5N1 and remained well.

What can be done

Recognizing the serious health problems that can occur in the presence of

dioxin and other toxic chemicals, the first Stockholm Convention on

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), was held in Argentina in May 2001.

POPs are chemicals highly toxic to human and wildlife. They persist in the

environment for long periods, becoming widely distributed geographically

and accumulating in the fatty tissue of living organisms. The

international treaty, signed by 98 countries, went into effect in May 2004.

Governments have agreed to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release

of the 12 most toxic chemicals, including dioxin, dubbed the “Dirty Dozen.”

The removal of toxic chemicals from the environment could be the most

significant prevention of a global pandemic. Unfortunately, though

unsurprisingly, the treaty to protect the environment was not signed by the

Bush Administration.

The outbreaks of an aggressive virus among domestic chickens and migratory

birds are a wake-up call to the world's countries and international

organizations to get serious about improving the environment. The birds are

sending an urgent message of impending disaster, similar to the message

dead canaries sent to miners deep in the coalmines.

The most serious concern over bird flu is its potential, in combination

with dioxin, to cause lethal inflammation of the lungs. Investigations are

urgently needed to evaluate the role of dioxin in aggravating influenza.

Part of this article is an excerpt from Dr. Tenpenny's new book, FOWL! Bird

Flu: It's Not What You Think , released April 2006. For daily updates on

the bird flu and a bi-monthly e-Newsletter go to www.BirdFluHype.com

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny is one of the most knowledgeable and outspoken

physicians in the US regarding the impact of vaccines on health. She heads

an education company, New Medical Media-Press , which promotes freedom of

choice in healthcare, including the freedom to refuse vaccination. Dr.

Tenpenny is also a regular columnist for www.NewsWithViews.com and

www.RedFlagsDaily.com . She can be contacted through www.Dr.Tenpenny.com or

nmaseminars@...

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

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[Guest guest]

Sheri N.,

Didn't you know what's really behind this propaganda? (No " outbreaks " ,

because there's NO " H5N! " , though some birds do get sick - from

other things than a virus)?

After you posted some rather good stuff in March by Jon Rappoport

and not least after the real smasher by Stefan Lanka?

Why bother with Tenpenny's obviously incorrect theory, which

in the main just repeats and supports the nasty swindle attempt?

(A Lanka encore:

Stefan Lanka interview 27.10.2005, in English translation:

http://rolf-martens.com/UNITE%21%20Infos/webstyle1/unite_info_251en.html)

Rolf M.

At 11:14 2006-09-29 +0100, you (Sheri Nakken <vaccineinfo@...>)

wrote:

>http://www.i-sis.org.uk/WRBTBFO.php

>

>ISIS Press Release 19/09/06

>What's Really Behind the Bird Flu Outbreaks?

>

>Wild birds, farmyard chickens and people are the victims of bird flu not

>the perpetrators ( Fowl Play in Bird Flu ) . Intensive poultry farming and

>globalised poultry trade are to blame for creating and spreading the virus

>( What Can You Believe About Bird Flu? ) ; but what really causes bird flu

>outbreaks?

>...

>

[Guest guest]

Rolf,

I really would encourage you to ease up a little

I post a lot of information and don't always agree with every detail.

You are coming on a bit strong lately

Sheri

At 10:16 PM 9/29/2006 +0200, you wrote:

>Sheri N.,

>

>Didn't you know what's really behind this propaganda? (No " outbreaks " ,

>because there's NO " H5N! " , though some birds do get sick - from

>other things than a virus)?

>

>After you posted some rather good stuff in March by Jon Rappoport

>and not least after the real smasher by Stefan Lanka?

>

>Why bother with Tenpenny's obviously incorrect theory, which

>in the main just repeats and supports the nasty swindle attempt?

>

>(A Lanka encore:

>Stefan Lanka interview 27.10.2005, in English translation:

>http://rolf-martens.com/UNITE%21%20Infos/webstyle1/unite_info_251en.html)

>

>Rolf M.

>

>At 11:14 2006-09-29 +0100, you (Sheri Nakken <vaccineinfo@...>)

>wrote:

>

>>http://www.i-sis.org.uk/WRBTBFO.php

>>

>>ISIS Press Release 19/09/06

>>What's Really Behind the Bird Flu Outbreaks?

>>

>>Wild birds, farmyard chickens and people are the victims of bird flu not

>>the perpetrators ( Fowl Play in Bird Flu ) . Intensive poultry farming and

>>globalised poultry trade are to blame for creating and spreading the virus

>>( What Can You Believe About Bird Flu? ) ; but what really causes bird flu

>>outbreaks?

>>...

>>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

At 22:26 2006-09-29 +0100, you (Sheri Nakken <vaccineinfo@...>) wrote:

>Rolf,

>I really would encourage you to ease up a little

>I post a lot of information and don't always agree with every detail.

>You are coming on a bit strong lately

>Sheri

No problem, Sheri. I hope I've already gotten across some things which

I on my part have learned only rather recently, which I do think

are both sensational and also pretty important to make known to as

many as possible - the facts about there being no diseasecausing

bacteria or viruses, and how even we laypersons can ascertain this

ourselves - in that discussion on germ theory which there was

rather recently and in which I contributed a couple of postings

(or was it a couple of dozen?). Quite relevant precisely concerning

vaccines at least, I think. Anyway, it seems that this discussion has

ended, for now. I hope not too many list members got bored with it. In

case at some point in the future I shall find I have something new to

contribute, hopefully of general interest, I shall not have any qualms

about " coming on strong " once more, though. The Tenpenny article I

thought was so misleading (no doubt unintentionally so) that it

might contribute to a danger of some people's accepting to be

maltreated with a vaccine or other " against " that non-existent

" H5N1 " , if the facts on the matter were not pointed out at once

in connection with it.

Rolf M.