Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

[MHSC]

I no longer bring up bird flu, but when it does come up in a conversation I will often hear someone in the group say "Yeah right, just like SARS". That was no big deal, so why should we worry about bird flu?

Everyone here knows that SARS was a big deal and it was no small effort to stop it, but that isn't the point of this thread. We as advocates of preparation need some facts to fight this kind of thinking. Why is it exactly that H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS? Let's list the reasons, I'll start with one that I have heard, but I don't know if it is true or not.

• Those infected with SARS show symptoms before they are contagious, those infected with H5N1 are contagious before they show symptoms. Therefore, they can infect others before they even know they are ill.

 

[Mellie]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

What you said about prodromal characteristics of H5N1.

Also...
SARS is a Corona virus; H5N1 is an influenza virus, smaller in size than SARS virus, possibly more transmissable and able to remain floating in the air longer than the SARS virus, possibly more able to move through N95 and N100 respirators.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

This from wikipedia.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus. There was one major epidemic to date, between November 2002 and July 2003, with 8,096 known cases of the disease, and 774 deaths (a mortality rate of 9.6%).

 

[DRJJ]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

H5N1 is ... possibly more able to move through N95 and N100 respirators.

It is important to understand that N95 and N100 respirators do not guarantee 95% or 100% protection against H5N1, even if the virus is larger than the pore size of the respirator. My lay understanding of this is based on two different concepts.

1. N95 and N100 are statistical estimations, indicating that approximately 95% and 99.9% of the virus will be intercepted by the mask on most people, most of the time, assuming it is used correctly. I do not know the standard deviation and standard error of this specification, but I would guess that plus or minus 3% would encompass 87% of the N95 users. If my guess is correct, then approximately 87% of the users would experience the mask intercepting between 92 and 98% of the viral particles inhaled during a 3 to 4 hour period of maximum efficiency. These numbers are not exact, but you get the idea. If there are more virus in the air, more will get through. If the air is very dry, more will get through. As the mask gets saturated, it becomes less efficient. 95% protection is a nominal value, affected by how well the mask is fitted, variations between masks, density of viral particles present, humidity, skill of person wearing the mask, etc.
2. There are many sources of transmission, beyond inhalation of aerosol particles. These include, but are not limited to: transmission through aerosol particles entering through the eye, transmission through food contaminated with virus from fecal matter, putting in contact lenses with viral particles under fingernails, transmission from toilet or toilet paper to female vaginal mucosa, transmission by touch from contaminated environment or person not yet showing symptoms, removing mask with contaminated gloves. and mask becoming saturated with viral material.

 

[Mellie]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

Respirators are not the issue for me. I will be using them, even knowing they might be less effective for H5N1 than for SARS. This is a thread about why H5N1 might be more dangerous.

Thanks for educating...

For one of my comments on respirators:
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=14408&postcount=7

In my presentations I sometimes get the question, "why wear a N95 respirator when it's not a proven PPE?"

Any other reasons that might make H5N1 more dangerous than SARS? besides

1) prodromal characteristics of infection,
2) size and aerosol characteristics, and
3) CFR

 

[DialysisPrepper]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

Any other reasons that might make H5N1 more dangerous than SARS? besides

1) prodromal characteristics of infection,
2) size and aerosol characteristics, and
3) CFR

Would the wave characteristic of influenza differentiate H5N1 from SARS?

 

[Mellie]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

Would the wave characteristic of influenza differentiate H5N1 from SARS?

You mean would SARS infect people in waves?

I don't know if a SARS pandemic would do that. Hmmmm.

How have other non-influenza pandemics behaved? Have they come in succesive waves?

 

[DialysisPrepper]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

You mean would SARS infect people in waves?

Yes. I was thinking that the wave characteristic of flu makes it harder to prepare for or requires more prep, makes it seem even more daunting to people.

 

[4-ABBA]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

SARS was not resident in wild birds or poultry. As H5N1 is, this causes its spread to be carried worldwide by avian hosts; and because it is resident in poultry (which is a major protein source worldwide), this creates a food borne transmission route.

SARS had neither of these characteristics. Containing H5N1 will be exceedingly difficult, given these two additional vectors.

 

[Gnosis]

Re: Why is H5N1 is more dangerous than SARS?

Perhaps the H5N1 can mutate faster than the SARS. Influenza vs. Corona virus reassortment, random mutation, and recombination?
Speed kills.