Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Dr.Kishore, Flu virus can undergo antigenic *drift *, the small change that explains why last year's flu vaccine doesn't work so well this year, or it can go through antigenic *shift*, a major change in virus subtype that makes the virus look new to the immune system. After antigenic shift, the virus gets new H and N numbers: H stands for hemagglutinin, and N for neuraminidase; both are surface proteins that can be attacked by the immune system. Hemagglutinin comes in 16 flavors, and neuraminidase in nine Is this answer correct? Surender Gaddam (MGIMS 1994 batch) Research Associate Center for Clinical Trails s Hopkins Bllomberg School of Public Baltimore, MD, USA Okay, while we are at it, here is a small quiz question. The various bird flu strains are labelled with H and N. The present pandemic is with H5N1. What do the initials H and N stand for? (If no one answers, I shall send the answer after a couple of days.) Kishore Shah 1974 ------------------------------ Website: www.mgims.org ------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 H5N1=The name H5N1 refers to the subtypes of surface antigens present on the virus: hemagglutinin type 5 and neuraminidase type 1. btw ,i looked up this site of WHO http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHO and no where it mentions anything about non consumption of eggs. can you please send your link ? On Sun, 05 Mar 2006 Shah wrote : >Could the Microbiologists (like Prabha) or anyone else clarify one small >doubt that I have. >The WHO recommends that in view of the avian flu threat, it is advisable not >to eat runny or half cooked eggs. >Now, as per my knowledge goes, NO ONE has been infected through eating raw >eggs. The route of infection is saliva and faecal droppings. So what does >this WHO recommendation mean? Is it a general directive about precautions, >and not specifically about avian flu? Or do they know something that we do >not? >Okay, while we are at it, here is a small quiz question. The various bird >flu strains are labelled with H and N. The present pandemic is with H5N1. >What do the initials H and N stand for? (If no one answers, I shall send the >answer after a couple of days.) >Kishore Shah 1974 >------------------------------ >Website: www.mgims.org >------------------------------ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Looks like Manish and Surender have both made my answer to the quiz about H and N redundant. Congrats. Kishore Shah 1974 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Dear Manish, Here are the web sites: 1 CDC website www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/ 2 WHO web site http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/ 3 Singapore bird flu website http://www.birdflu.gov.sg/ Kishore Shah 1974 Re: Cuckoo's nest H5N1=The name H5N1 refers to the subtypes of surface antigens present on the virus: hemagglutinin type 5 and neuraminidase type 1. btw ,i looked up this site of WHO http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHO and no where it mentions anything about non consumption of eggs. can you please send your link ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Kishoreda, one unusal feature of H5N1 is its capacity to infect various cell types, unlike the other flu viruses we are familiar with, which infect only respiratory cells. Hence, any poultry derived tissue may be infected - be it eggs or chicken. Also, most times, the egg shells are contaminated with bird faeces. I am not sure how many people wash the eggs before breaking them. Even if they are washed, it is uncertain how effective washing is at getting rid of the virus. The best way to ensure that there is no live viral contamination of the eggs is to ensure that they are heat killed. Hence the WHO recommendation about not eating eggs with runny yolks. Runny yolks mean that that the eggs have not been heated enough to kill H5N1. As an aside, there is no respite for the poor chicken - either they get eaten or culled. They are born to die a violent death, I guess. Prabha'84 Shah wrote: Could the Microbiologists (like Prabha) or anyone else clarify one small doubt that I have. The WHO recommends that in view of the avian flu threat, it is advisable not to eat runny or half cooked eggs. Now, as per my knowledge goes, NO ONE has been infected through eating raw eggs. The route of infection is saliva and faecal droppings. So what does this WHO recommendation mean? Is it a general directive about precautions, and not specifically about avian flu? Or do they know something that we do not? Okay, while we are at it, here is a small quiz question. The various bird flu strains are labelled with H and N. The present pandemic is with H5N1. What do the initials H and N stand for? (If no one answers, I shall send the answer after a couple of days.) Kishore Shah 1974 ------------------------------ Website: www.mgims.org ------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 Thanks, Prabha, However the fact remains that not one case of avian flu has been transmitted by eating eggs. Or am I mistaken? It is akin to saying that HIV is not transmitted by kissing, however, infected individuals should not kiss because the virus is present everywhere. There, however, a reverse recommendation exists! Kishore Shah 1974 Re: Cuckoo's nest > Kishoreda, one unusal feature of H5N1 is its capacity to infect various > cell types, unlike the other flu viruses we are familiar with, which > infect only respiratory cells. > Hence, any poultry derived tissue may be infected - be it eggs or > chicken. > Also, most times, the egg shells are contaminated with bird faeces. I am > not sure how many people wash the eggs before breaking them. Even if they > are washed, it is uncertain how effective washing is at getting rid of the > virus. The best way to ensure that there is no live viral contamination of > the eggs is to ensure that they are heat killed. Hence the WHO > recommendation about not eating eggs with runny yolks. Runny yolks mean > that that the eggs have not been heated enough to kill H5N1. > > As an aside, there is no respite for the poor chicken - either they get > eaten or culled. They are born to die a violent death, I guess. > > Prabha'84 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 No documented case, but I wonder how many cases have had adequate epidemiological investigations to track down the source of infection. Prabha'84 Shah wrote: Thanks, Prabha, However the fact remains that not one case of avian flu has been transmitted by eating eggs. Or am I mistaken? It is akin to saying that HIV is not transmitted by kissing, however, infected individuals should not kiss because the virus is present everywhere. There, however, a reverse recommendation exists! Kishore Shah 1974 Re: Cuckoo's nest > Kishoreda, one unusal feature of H5N1 is its capacity to infect various > cell types, unlike the other flu viruses we are familiar with, which > infect only respiratory cells. > Hence, any poultry derived tissue may be infected - be it eggs or > chicken. > Also, most times, the egg shells are contaminated with bird faeces. I am > not sure how many people wash the eggs before breaking them. Even if they > are washed, it is uncertain how effective washing is at getting rid of the > virus. The best way to ensure that there is no live viral contamination of > the eggs is to ensure that they are heat killed. Hence the WHO > recommendation about not eating eggs with runny yolks. Runny yolks mean > that that the eggs have not been heated enough to kill H5N1. > > As an aside, there is no respite for the poor chicken - either they get > eaten or culled. They are born to die a violent death, I guess. > > Prabha'84 ------------------------------ Website: www.mgims.org ------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 Dear Prabha, Atleast they don't die of painful old-age?! :-D Ravin '82 Re: Cuckoo's nest > As an aside, there is no respite for the poor chicken - either they get eaten or culled. They are born to die a violent death, I guess. > > Prabha'84 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 Got a point there ! Prabha'84 ravindas@... wrote: Dear Prabha, Atleast they don't die of painful old-age?! :-D Ravin '82 Re: Cuckoo's nest > As an aside, there is no respite for the poor chicken - either they get eaten or culled. They are born to die a violent death, I guess. > > Prabha'84 ------------------------------ Website: www.mgims.org ------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Surender, Thanks for resurfacing on this site. I wonder if you have something to say about the Vegas fiasco. It was very frustrating being unable to get accomodations in the last minute -- thanks to your disappearance. ( Vegas had a major electronics convention that weekend making it impossible to get accomodations even when we were willing to pay couple hundred bucks per night ) I felt very bad when our esteemed Dr Kalantri had to make last minute changes and loosing money. Also thanks to the apathetic response of the US based MGIMS alumni -- Dr Kalantri was telling me that even he made several calls trying to motivate alumni to come to the gettogether but to no avail. Its a shame !! Ashok Bhaskar 1984 Surender Gaddam wrote: Dr.Kishore, Flu virus can undergo antigenic *drift *, the small change that explains why last year's flu vaccine doesn't work so well this year, or it can go through antigenic *shift*, a major change in virus subtype that makes the virus look new to the immune system. After antigenic shift, the virus gets new H and N numbers: H stands for hemagglutinin, and N for neuraminidase; both are surface proteins that can be attacked by the immune system. Hemagglutinin comes in 16 flavors, and neuraminidase in nine Is this answer correct? Surender Gaddam (MGIMS 1994 batch) Research Associate Center for Clinical Trails s Hopkins Bllomberg School of Public Baltimore, MD, USA Okay, while we are at it, here is a small quiz question. The various bird flu strains are labelled with H and N. The present pandemic is with H5N1. What do the initials H and N stand for? (If no one answers, I shall send the answer after a couple of days.) Kishore Shah 1974 ------------------------------ Website: www.mgims.org ------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Dr.Ashok, I have already given you and Dr.Kalantri an appropriate explanation and extended my sincerest apologies through an email why I could not make it to Vegas. As a part of my job I have to fly to Canada and did that for several months before I joined 's Hopkin's University.It was never my intention to create a 'scene' or hurt anyone of you in any way. After all, it was a question of my job. And, I don't think if Dr.Kalantri have lost any money in that event. I personally feel that it is not necessary to talk about this in the group? Dr.Kalantri, if you are reading this email..please let me know if you really had a financial loss, so that I can refund the same. However, I strongly agree that because of me you have to cancel your trip, and I extend my yet an other honest apologies to everybody who had to suffer because of me. Surender Gaddam Research Associate, Center for Clinical Trials s Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore, MD > > Surender, > Thanks for resurfacing on this site. > I wonder if you have something to say about the Vegas fiasco. > It was very frustrating being unable to get accomodations in the last > minute -- thanks to your disappearance. ( Vegas had a major electronics > convention that weekend making it impossible to get accomodations even when > we were willing to pay couple hundred bucks per night ) > I felt very bad when our esteemed Dr Kalantri had to make last minute > changes and loosing money. > Also thanks to the apathetic response of the US based MGIMS alumni -- Dr > Kalantri was telling me that even he made several calls trying to motivate > alumni to come to the gettogether but to no avail. > Its a shame !! > Ashok Bhaskar 1984 > > Surender Gaddam wrote: > Dr.Kishore, > > Flu virus can undergo antigenic *drift *, the small change that explains > why > last year's flu vaccine > doesn't work so well this year, or it can go through antigenic *shift*, a > major change in virus subtype that makes the virus look new to the immune > system. After antigenic shift, the virus gets new H and N numbers: H > stands > for hemagglutinin, and N for neuraminidase; both are surface proteins that > can be attacked by the immune system. Hemagglutinin comes in 16 flavors, > and > neuraminidase in nine > > Is this answer correct? > > Surender Gaddam (MGIMS 1994 batch) > Research Associate > Center for Clinical Trails > s Hopkins Bllomberg School of Public > Baltimore, MD, USA > > Okay, while we are at it, here is a small quiz question. The various bird > flu strains are labelled with H and N. The present pandemic is with H5N1. > What do the initials H and N stand for? (If no one answers, I shall send > the > > answer after a couple of days.) > > Kishore Shah 1974 > > > > ------------------------------ > Website: www.mgims.org > ------------------------------ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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