Birdflu Mailing List: Re: Bird Flu & Deadly Cytokine Storm

[Peter Raynor (praynor]

From what I've read, it appears that most experts believe the cytokine 
storm is a real phenomena for H5N1.  Whether H5N1 transmitted human to 
human would show the same effect is uncertain because it would require a 
genetic mutation that could mollify this effect somewhat (the theory is 
that a highly human pathogenic cytokine-storm-producing H5N1 virus would 
kill its hosts too quickly to be readily transmissible).  The bottom line 
is that we should expect a human transmissible H5N1 virus to effect 
everyone, not just infants and the elderly.

Pete

At 02:54 AM 1/3/2007, you wrote:
> The most important but least understood factor in surviving the coming flu 
> pandemic may be how to stop the deadly over-reaction of a person's immune 
> system called "cytokine storm."
>
> http://www.fluwikie.com/pmwiki.php?n=Science.PrimerCytokineStorm<http://www.fluwikie.com/pmwiki.php?n=Science.PrimerCytokineStorm>
>
> http://www.cytokinestorm.com/<http://www.cytokinestorm.com/>
>
> http://www.birdfluriddle.com/?hop=cytokine<http://www.birdfluriddle.com/?hop=cytokine>
>
> For people with strong immune systems, this may be the worst threat.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Bill Weir
>
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-------------------------------------------------
Peter C. Raynor, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota, School of Public Health
Division of Environmental Health Sciences
Mayo Mail Code #807, 420 Delaware St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN  55455
Phone: (612) 625-7135,  FAX: (612) 626-0650
Email: praynor [at] umn.edu
URL: http://enhs.umn.edu/files/facultypages/raynor.html