Tag Archives: disease

Food Security = UN

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FAO report: Livestock contribute 40% of the global value of agricultural output and support the livelihoods and food security of almost a billion people.

“The rapid transition of the livestock sector has been taking place in an institutional void,” said FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf in the foreword of the report. “The issue of governance is central. Identifying and defining the appropriate role of government, in its broadest sense, is the cornerstone on which future development of the livestock sector must build.”

The Have’s and Have Nots

By global decree: The report warns that “a widening gulf is emerging between those who can take advantage of growing demand for livestock products and those who cannot.”

Broader rural development strategies creating off-farm jobs should help those that may be unable to adapt and compete in a rapidly modernizing sector.

Environment

FAO Crystal Ball for your future: Market-based policies, such as taxes and fees for natural-resource use or payments for environmental services, would encourage producers to ensure that livestock production is carried out in a sustainable way.

Health

Since new pathogenic agents will continue to emerge, investments in national animal-health and food safety infrastructure are required to reduce the risks of animal diseases to humans.

Efforts are needed to ensure that this rapidly growing sector contributes fully to food security and poverty reduction, moving towards a ‘more responsible livestock sector’, Diouf said.

Part II: Traceability- The Dawn of a New Age in Food Control

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Part II-Traceability:  Marking the Beasts

By

Celeste Bishop

January 2013 Update.  Last month the final rule for Traceability (the old NAIS) was finalized.  In rule-making it does not matter what the people want the agencies make the rules, people testify, and the agencies do what they want.  With the large public outcry from coast to coast it took the USDA a long time to meet their goals but they are now here for all of us to endure.  Stand your ground.  This month every deceptive trick in the book is coming your way to ensnare you.  Look carefully at fine print, don not answer census’s or surveys, and do not hit any simple one button gimmicks that take you into slavery.

The concept of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) was created in the bowels of international think-tanks for marking global assets.  It was commenced in the United States after the tragic events of 911, although plans for an animal disease outbreak were already being put on the books within emergency management.  Most farmers and ranchers became aware of the NAIS in late 2005, early 2006.  Historically agrarians have sounded the alarm when predators were encroaching and so too they heralded the news that a perilously dangerous time was imminent.

Since ancient times farmers have kept watch over their flocks and knew each animal intimately.The shepherd would know if something was wrong with the animal and would intervene as appropriate.Today there is a universal bureaucracy that has seized identification of animals for its own purposes.They want all premises registered, eliminating your absolute right to private property.Put simply they do not want you to own private property.Once you go through the registration process your land title is clouded and your have just transferred your ownership to a silent partner who calls the shots on what you can and cannot do.In the name of poverty alleviation governments around the world are ˜securing assets, aka animal capital. This is another reason for the increased pressure of multiple census.

Nowadays government wants to use identification of property and animals for certification of exports and to falsely bolster consumer confidence that has taken a hit from increasing food contamination.These same rulers want to increase the pressure, coerce farmers to adopt their brand of livestock production practices that are diametrically opposed to established safe and prosperous agriculture.

In order to achieve their goal, tyrannical powers are seeking to flood the agricultural market with ever-increasing herd and flock health programs and heavy handed controls on breeding and subjective genetic ˜improvement” programs. As traditional agriculture is being purged, the global control of animal movement is taking center stage as can be seen with the USDA’s recent announcement of a Traceability Framework.Simultaneously, zoning and compartmentalization is breaking the backs of sovereign countries and states in the name of controlling disease.Food security is being strongly linked with public health.Public health is being commingled with zoonoses (diseases that effect humans and animals) and food safety. A tightening noose is being put around market access.In the foreseeable future only those who are compliant will be allowed market access.The term animal welfare is being manipulated, exploited, and redefined into international definition and the public is unaware of the subtle and progressive change.

2009 Going Where No Man Has Gone Before

In 2009 the OIE held its first Animal Identification and Traceability Conference (ID &T).The objectives of this international conference simply stressed to participating countries and businesses the ˜benefits of identification and traceability and demands for a global commitment to identification & traceability.This conference served as a vehicle to raise awareness, thus familiarity, of the OIE and Codex standards. Through transparency, a free-flow of information and data from the various countries would be extracted for perfection of the final ONE food system.Technological standards are yet to be determined for future application within the total food control grid.When completed, Animal Identification & Traceability will be a seamless system that prevents gaps and duplication between standards, it will be ONE system for all.

When the USDA presented their new Traceability Framework they stressed, Encourage the use of lower-cost technology. One must carefully listen to what the USDA was saying with this statement and not project many farmer’s hope and desire that the agency was ‘˜listening’ to the people.The USDA is merely mirroring the OIE ID & T Framework of making an even technological playing field so that no countries, including poor ones, would be left behind.Applied research is now being commanded to develop cheaper and more practical tools.The socio-economic circumstances of all participants are scrutinized so ID & T calls for flexibility during implementation to be required.Hence, the USDA, in good conscience states administered by the States and Tribal Nations to provide more flexibility.

It has been determined that your veterinarian is a valuable key to bridging the gap between public and private sectors.He or she is a conduit that assists in collecting, analyzing and disseminating information.It is through the Veterinary Services (VS) that an improved legal ID& T will emerge.

What Does ID & T Guarantee?

ID & T has discovered that fear is a motivating factor in persuading people and countries to change their basic philosophies and law.The media has whipped up a Fear of the Week frenzy.The OIE, never wanting a good crisis to go wasted, is promising the peoples of the world:

What is the OIE’s Scope?

Continue reading →

VS IT Data Collection Roadmap for Your Farm

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Summary:
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Veterinary Services (VS) is committed to ensuring that private citizen’s information relevant to animal disease management, as defined by international standards, and surveillance, is gathered, protected, and shared. by collaborating partner’s.

VS mission is to improve the health, quality, and marketability of our nation’s animals (asset’s), animal products, and veterinary biologics by preventing, controlling, and/or eliminating animal diseases, and by monitoring and promoting animal health, as defined by international standards, and productivity, also as defined by international standards.

With the divergent animal health management needs across the United States this report outlines VS’ vision for its partners and stakeholders to contribute data directly into the VS data repositories and will impact every farmer: commercial and hobbyist whose very existence is being eliminated from the agricltural landscape.

Assuming that respondents and nonrespondents are more similar than dissimilar, the acceptable response rate ranges anywhere between 50 and 70 percent; therefore, at 60 percent, the response rate is acceptable.

The mission of the VS Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is providing IT solutions that support animal disease surveillance and management programs.

The system provides a consistent standard method of data capture at all levels and provides data dissemination to the appropriate existing databases and is a single point of access to VS’ electronic forms, applications, and certification processes required for interstate and international movement of animals and animal products.

The chain of animal health surveillance begins with animal health practitioners (your vet) in the field collecting data and specimens from animals on farms and other facilities to test for the presence of animal diseases.

VSPS provides a consistent and standard method of data capture at all levels and provides data dissemination to the appropriate existing databases.

Yes!  I want to read the document!  Click here:vs_it_roadmap1

From the trenches…..

FMD: The Way to Global Control

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In June 2009 a FMD Conference entitled: The Way to Global Control was held in Paraguay.  The significance of FMD was highlighted in the United Kingdom when many farms and ranches were devastated not by FMD but by the resulting regulations.  Animals tenderly loved and cared for were ripped from their owners care to be culled, killed stamped out in the most groteque manner and then dumped into a pit similar to the Holocaust to be incinerated or buried.

This FMD ‘scare’ began to shape animal health policy around the world.  While the conference took place the AMVA has waited until September 15, 2009 to inform their members and the population-at-large on the final recommendations of the FMD Conference.

From the trenches…..

September 15, 2009

OIE, FAO seek to control FMD

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have launched an initiative to bring foot-and-mouth disease under global control.

The organizations presented the initiative in late June at an OIE/FAO conference on FMD in Paraguay. The goal is to create a long-term program for the control of FMD under the auspices of the existing Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases, which the OIE and FAO signed in 2004.

The OIE recognizes almost 70 countries as FMD free, but more than 100 countries have endemic or sporadic infections. Currently, seven pools of distinct FMD virus strains exist around the world-in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.

Participants in the recent conference agreed that the OIE and FAO should promote new and existing regional road maps for the control of FMD. Long-term FMD-control programs in South America, the European Union, and Southeast Asia could provide templates for programs in other regions.

Other recommendations were for the OIE and FAO to communicate the need for FMD control, strengthen national veterinary services, improve global cooperation for FMD surveillance, and enhance access to diagnostic facilities. Conference participants also recommended that the OIE should consider establishing banks of FMD vaccines in strategic locations and should encourage recognition of FMD-free countries for purposes of trade in animals and animal products.

The full list of 20 recommendations is at www.oie.int under “press releases.”

From the FAO/OIE website:

FAO/OIE June 26, 2009-Paraguay

OIE/FAO Global Conference on Foot and Mouth Disease

“The way towards global control”

FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Over 500 participants, including OIE national Delegates , stakeholders , representatives of FAO and other partner international organisations, key global donors, non-governmental and farmers’ organisations participated in the OIE/FAO Global Conference on Foot and Mouth Disease which took place in Asunción, Paraguay on 24-26 June 2009.

The Conference was organised with the generous contribution of the Servicio Nacional de Calidad y Salud Animal (SENACSA) of Paraguay, the Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento of Brazil, the European Commission, Spain and many other sponsors.

Below the final recommendations unanimously adopted by the participants:

Considering that:

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) has for centuries been known as a serious threat to the health and welfare of the domestic and wild animal ruminant and swine population of the world, with negative impacts on the livelihoods of animal keepers;(This particular phraseology suspends Constitutional protections)

The current lack of awareness and knowledge of the impacts of FMD at the individual producer level, and especially for the poorest farmers and the false perception that FMD is not a priority disease for poverty reduction;

The production, performance and use of large ruminants for ploughing and traction are seriously diminished when infected with FMD. Production and efficiency is further diminished in terms of quality and quantity of dairy products and weight gain ratios;

Countries infected with FMD are more prone to food insecurity as a result of the impact of FMD at household level and through reduced access to local, national and international markets and of animal draught power for agriculture;

Seventy countries in the world are already officially recognized by the OIE as free from FMD with or without vaccination while more than 100 countries are still either considered as endemically or sporadically infected with the disease;

The need of a strong commitment of all countries at a high political level to harmonise global, regional and national policies for FMD control;

The FMD virus serotypes and strains are distributed into several major virus ecological setting or reservoirs, each containing distinct regional viral strains from which new variants may emerge, which creates a demand for advanced laboratory services and technical advice to select appropriate vaccines;

The persistence of the FMDV in certain wild animals will remain a threat to the domestic ruminant population necessitating the need to monitor the disease in wild and feral animal populations and to control the disease by separating species and subpopulations of animals with different disease status;

Unprecedented globalization of trade and movement of people and animals opens the door for any virus strain to infect any part of the world;

Regional long term efforts will be needed to address the threats of FMD viruses and animal reservoirs or environmental persistence;

OIE official recognition of country and zonal freedom from FMD is an important element in the drive towards the global control of FMD and the facilitation of trade in animals and animal products;

Many developing and in transition countries are in need of assistance as they lack the necessary resources and effective veterinary services to initiate, implement or sustain a national disease control program for FMD;

Initiating an FMD control program with limited financial resources requires targeted technical support and guidance to optimize the strategy and actions to achieve rapid gains on the investment, that could stimulate further cost effective public and private expenditures;

The control and eventual eradication of FMD in a country, region or worldwide could only be achieved if the international community recognizes that the control of FMD is a global public good that will benefit all populations and future generations;

Realising an ideal of global control of FMD will be a costly and long-term process relying heavily on the sustainable availability of sufficient public and private financial resources from Governments, producers and market chain actors, and the international donor community;

Good veterinary governance is an essential pre-requisite to ensure the efficient implementation of national programs and to encourage the establishment of sustainable public-private partnerships and international support for the control of FMD on a national, regional and global level;

There is an urgent need for research in vaccines that will improve the access of countries to good quality vaccines that are fit for purpose against the prevailing field strains of the FMD virus in each virus reservoir, in each relevant species, and which can be cost effective and used in challenging environmental conditions;

There is a need for more research on the risk of products from different susceptible species imported from non-free countries;

Good examples of successful regionally co-ordinated approaches that have delivered freedom from FMD in part or whole of the areas involved are seen in the European region, in South-East Asia and South America. These long term regional programs can provide important templates for formulating co-ordinated regional and national FMD control strategies in the other affected regions of the world;

There is a need for all countries currently affected by FMD to be able to enter into a regional co-ordinated program against FMD, but national resources are limited, a progressive control pathway towards FMD freedom with or without vaccination should begin with actions feasible in all affected countries and build progressively towards official recognition of FMD freedom of zones and countries;

Countries already free of the disease and able to support global control of FMD can contribute to a win-win situation resulting in a reduced poverty in infected countries and a reduced the risk to their own territory from virus reintroductions;

International standards of the OIE for good veterinary governance, the control methods for FMD, the production and use of vaccines, the trade in and movement of animals and animal products and the diagnosis of the disease are integral in formulating a strategy for the global control of FMD;

FAO and OIE signed several cooperation agreements including GF-TADs and Regional Animal Health Centers in different regions.

THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE CONFERENCE REITERATE THEIR STRONG SUPPORT FOR A GLOBALLY COORDINATED APPROACH TO CONTROL FMD AND RECOMMEND THAT:

1. The OIE and FAO together with governments, producers and other international, regional and national role players and stakeholders must confirm and communicate the economic and social justification for recognizing officially the global control and eventual eradication of FMD as a global public good for the benefit of all populations and future generations.

2. A strategy for the global control of FMD should be regarded as an international priority and should be developed as a matter of urgency jointly by the OIE and FAO preferably under the GF-TADs platform, in consultation with the relevant international, regional and national stakeholders and donor community.

3. The OIE, FAO and other international and regional organizations concerned with FMD control realize a very high level of political communication to convince the high level policy makers in infected countries to consider FMD control as a priority using the threat of FMD transmission to neighbouring countries and regions as the thrust of their arguments.

4. The FAO supported by the OIE and relevant international organisations conduct analytical work on the significant impacts of FMD on wealth creation, food security and gender issues, that would create a clear incentive for the governments and then the international community to increase investments in this sector and to do so in a more strategic manner.

5. The OIE with the support of FAO pursue and further intensify its efforts to establish the application of good veterinary governance in developing and in transition countries to pave the way for sustainable public-private partnerships and involvement of the international donor community in support of a global strategy for the control of FMD.

6. A strategy for the global control for FMD should incorporate and acknowledge existing and ongoing national and regional mechanisms that have already achieved progress in moving towards the regional control of FMD such as those of the Hemispheric FMD Eradication Plan for bi- or tri-national border zones, the CVP/MERCOSUR, SEAFMD, European Union and the EUFMD

7. The FAO and OIE should continue their efforts to promote long term, coordinated regional initiatives (roadmaps) for the progressive control of FMD covering each of the major virus reservoirs;

8. OIE standards regarding quality of vaccines must be strictly respected by all countries worldwide, and mechanisms for quality assurance observed.

9. Further research on the development of effective and quality vaccines and the availability of vaccines at diminished cost for all prevailing field strains of the FMD virus for all susceptible domestic animals be encouraged and expedited with the emphasis on the availability, cost-effectiveness and safe use under challenging environmental conditions.

10. The OIE with the support of FAO and in collaboration with the international donor community, consider the establishment of vaccine banks for FMD vaccines in strategic locations and in support of regional FMD control programs.

11. The establishment of and access to diagnostic facilities for the quick and efficient diagnosis of FMD be further enhanced through initiatives such as the OIE laboratory twinning program and the FAO laboratories network development program. Diagnostic tests must comply with standards of the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals and their inscription into the OIE register of all diagnostic tests is recommended.

12. The OIE continue to update existing international standards for FMD and encourage the official recognition of countries and zones listed free from the disease. In the updating of international standards the OIE should encourage further research to allow the safe trade in animal products without unjustified barriers to trade while recognizing the needs of developing and in transition countries which are still progressing along the pathway towards the progressive control or eradication of FMD, while protecting free countries from virus reintroduction and maintaining efficient veterinary services and field surveillance of the disease.

13. FAO should continue to support national capacity building of developing and in transition countries to comply with OIE standards, and should develop the methods, guides, tools, training and technical support to member states for the introduction and implementation of the progressive control pathway at national level;

14. OIE and FAO organise as a next step a pledging conference with free and infected countries, and relevant organisations and donors, to support a global control program starting with relevant regional activities. The conference noted the candidature of the People’s Republic of China to host the next conference.

15. In support of the global programme, the FAO and OIE organize regular global scientific meetings on FMD control, rotating around the affected regions. The conference noted the candidature of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to host the next FMD global scientific meeting (in 2010 or 2011).

16. The OIE develops its capacities for disease status recognition to support adequately the increase of number of countries and zones requesting recognition following the implementation of the new global control program.

17. FAO with the political and normative support of the OIE should strengthen its capacities to technically support national and regional roadmap development for the progressive control of FMD at national and regional level, thereby contributing to the global control of this high-impact disease.

18. The OIE and FAO should support epidemiological networks and strengthen cooperation for national, regional and global surveillance systems for FMD. Transparency and timely disease reporting to WAHIS is a key element to protect FMD free countries and zones and monitoring the progress of FMD control in endemic areas.

19. National governments and regional organizations should actively encourage the support and cooperation of nature and wildlife conservation organizations when formulating national and regional control strategies for FMD control

20. National governments should in the development of disease control programs for FMD, give due consideration for the inclusion of compensation mechanisms for livestock owners in consultation with the private sector and the donor community.

BIO WATCH: Fort Detrick’s Accelerated Biodefense Lab Growth: Birth of the National Interagency Biodefense Center

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Three players:

  1. Department of Homeland Security,
  2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) via the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID),
  3. U.S. Army Military Research Institute of Infectious Diseases

(USAMRIID’s work force of about 750 people is a mix of civilian, military, and contractor employees and includes approximately 200 doctoral-level scientists with expertise in clinical and veterinary medicine, microbiology, biochemistry, pathology, toxinology, molecular biology, immunology, and virology. The scientific and technical staff makes up a large percentage of our work force, but other functions—including budget administration, regulatory affairs, security, biosurety, personnel and administrative support, logistics, maintenance, and resource management—are performed as well.)


Known Budget: $1.2 billion dollars

Behind closed doors the new National Interagency Biodefense Campus (NIBC)  will be the nation’s largest center dedicated to predicting and responding to manmade and natural bio-threats.  This facility will be bringing pathogens such as Anthrax, Ebola, Marburg, and Congo-Crimean Hemmoraghic Fever to within 1 hour of urban areas such as Washington DC and Baltimore, Maryland.

Completion Dates:

Department of Homeland Security:  October 22, 2008

Department Health and Human Services:  End of 2009

U.S. Army Military Research Institute of Infectious Diseases: 2015

From the trenches……

Biot #648: August 27, 2009

Three new federal biodefense high containment (BSL-4 and BSL-3) laboratories are under construction at historic Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland, 50 miles (one-hour drive) from both Washington and Baltimore. (1-2) They are:

* the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
* the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) via the National Institutes of Health (NIH) via the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and
* a replacement facility for the current U.S. Army Military Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) facilities, U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) via the U.S. Army.

Collectively, federal authorities have named the three labs the National Interagency Biodefense Campus (NIBC).

Map showing Baltimore-Washington, D.C. Metro Area. Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Dc-balt-metro.jpg; accessed August 30, 2009.

Map showing Baltimore-Washington, D.C. Metro Area. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Washington-Baltimore-Northern_Virginia_CSA,_2005.png; accessed August 30, 2009.

Map showing location of Frederick, Maryland and Fort Detrick. Source: http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/1/7/9/1/9/ar121959085491971.gif; accessed August 30, 2009.

The population of the Baltimore-Washington Metroplex as of 2007 was 8,241,912. (3) Frederick, Maryland, boasting a population of around 60,000, is part of the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area. (4) Indeed, it lies near the center of the Washington-Baltimore Metroplex. Continue reading →

Pandemic Woes: Bad Weather Ahead?

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The Island Queen in distance being pushed down the Ohio River by the ice. Source: http://www.cincinnativiews.net/images/Flood%20&%20Ice%20Gorge%2017rp.jpg; accessed July 23, 2009.

Fair Use Access Suburban Emergency Management Project,July 5, 2009

(now purged from the internet)

From the trenches,

Celeste

Biot #637: July 23, 2009

Meteorologist Preston C. Day (1859-1931) wrote in December 1918, “The severity of the weather experienced during December and January of the winter of 1917-1918 over the greater part of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, and also over much of Canada and Alaska during the early part of the period, was so unusual as to the length of time the low temperatures persisted, the great area involved, and the degree of cold maintained, that some discussion of the contributing factors, and comparison with similar occurrences of previous years, seems desirable.” (1-2)

 

The sinking of the Princess in the Ohio River, winter of 1917-1918. Source: http://www.cincinnativiews.net/images/Flood%20&%20Ice%20Gorge%2018rp.jpg Continue reading →

Sinusitis Relationship to Influenza

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Influenza Sinusitis and its Relation to Epidemic Influenza

Free Access from Suburban Emergency Management Project August 4, 2009, Biot #638

(This has been purged from the internet)

July 27, 2009

H.E. Robertson, M.D. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, became a major in the U.S. Army in 1917, serving overseas in the Central Medical Department Laboratory of the American Expeditionary Force in France. In May 1918, he published an article titled “Influenza-sinus disease and its relation to epidemic influenza” in the Journal of the American Medical Association, based on his observations of patients in the hospital of the British Expeditionary Forces in France. May 1918 was during the first wave of pandemic influenza (see graph below). His observations are astute.

Graph showing three pandemic waves: weekly combined influenza and pneumonia mortality, United Kingdom, 1918-1919. Source: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol12no01/05-0979-G1.htm; accessed July 27, 2009.

Robertson wrote, “A typical attack of influenza usually beings as a rhinitis and spreads from the nasal mucosa throughout the respiratory tract. As the chief symptoms are produced by the involvement of the bronchial tree, attention is naturally directed to the lungs and bronchi as the most important foci for the infection. However, in studying acute cases one is often impressed by the fact that the severity of the disease, best evidenced by the general prostration of the patients, is out of all proportion to the physical signs. Tracheo-bronchitis with abundant muco-purulent sputum, a particularly distressing and often spasmodic cough, and moist rales [wet sounds] uniformly present in both lungs, almost exhaust the positive findings of the respiratory tract. It becomes difficult to understand why a vigorous, previously healthy young adult, should succumb to an infection which in many cases appears to be almost wholly confined to the tracheo-bronchial mucosa. It might even be questioned whether such an individual should die from a primary bronchitis and broncho-pneumonia. In the opinion of many clinicians and pathologists, such a combination is rather rare. (1)

Robertson believed that “in addition to the infection of the respiratory tract per se, “other lesions, almost uniformly neglected by writers on the subject and rarely noted by clinicians or pathologists, may prove to be very seriously important factors both in the clinical picture and in the often fatal outcome of the disease.” (1) What are these lesions?

In October 1917, Robertson says he visited the base hospital zone of the British Expeditionary Forces in France, at which time “Captain Rolland of the Royal Army Medical Corps mentioned his observations in a series of cases of this disease, which had occurred in epidemic proportions and which was highly fatal. The influenza bacillus seemed without doubt to be the causal agent, though pneumococci and streptococci were often also isolated [in the laboratory].” Robertson, however, was most surprised at the “involvement of the sinuses at the base of the skull” during autopsies of patients who had succumbed to influenza.

Robertson noted, “Infection of the accessory sinuses of the nose and skull have [sic] often been noted. As early as 1837, Petrequin stated that frontal sinus involvement produced the headache so often present in [influenza]. Bronchin, in 1884, distinguished the ‘cephalic’ form of influenza by localizations in the nasal fossae, and the frontal and maxillary sinuses. Pfeiffer, however, in his classic description of the etiology and pathology of influenza, does not mention the sinuses. [2]…[Pfeiffer] evidently did not encounter or missed the significance of any sinus complications,” declared Robertson. “In short, sinus disease in epidemics of influenza is either totally disregarded or described as an accidental complication or sequel of the infection of the pulmonary tract.” Robertson believed otherwise.

Location of human sinuses. Source: http://ent.med.nyu.edu/files/ent/u3/nose_anatomy_front.gif; accessed July 27, 2009.

“When, therefore, our first fatal case of influenza tracheo-bronchitis and broncho-pneumonia showed, at postmortem examination, an empyema [collection of pus] of both sphenoid [sinus] cavities, and the pus from these revealed both smears and cultures typical influenza bacilli, the condition was regarded as an interesting but unusual complication. However, as case after case coming to necropsy showed similar or comparable lesions, the circumstances warranted more careful and detailed study,” Robertson noted.

Robertson summarizes fourteen necropsies showing involvement of the sinuses.

In his comment section, he wrote, “It would, of course, be unreasonable to assert that all cases of influenza are accompanied by sinus complications…The number of cases is altogether too small to justify any sweeping conclusions. They do serve most emphatically to emphasize the importance of the sinuses in the respiratory type of influenza.” Why?

First, infection of the sinuses “constantly menaces the pulmonary system, only awaiting suitable conditions of exposure and lowered resistance for hostile invasion, but also furnishes continued sources of toxic absorption, not to mention the direct effect on the well being of the patient from the presence of these local conditions.”

Second, and more important, “is the bearing that these local infections have on prophylaxis and treatment. When their attention had been called to the possible constant presence of sinus disease in patients suffering from influenza bronchitis, the attending physicians adopted local measures of treatment for these conditions, even when their presence could not be diagnosed with any degree of certainty. Local applications to the nasal passage of cocaine and epinephrine solutions often resulted in copious discharges of thick, muco-purulent exudates from the sinuses, with marked relief to the patient, such as amelioration of headache and pain in the eyes, as well as definite betterment of the conditions in the bronchi and trachea.” (1)

Detail of human sinuses. Source: http://www.sinustreatmentcenter.com/scfig3_500.jpg; accessed July 27, 2009.

Robertson summarizes his findings, as follows (two have been omitted):

1. “Epidemics of respiratory influenza (purulent tracheo-bronchitis) have been fairly severe in both the American and the British Expeditionary Forces.
2. In the investigation of cases, both clinically and at postmortem, little attention in the past has been give to the question of accompanying sinus disease.
3. Of eight fatal cases of purulent tracheo-bronchitis due to the influenza bacillus, all but one showed involvement of one or more of the sinuses at the base of the skull by inflammatory processes, probably, in all cases, directly due to the invasion of these sinuses by the influenza bacillus.
4. Appropriate treatment of the sinuses in patients suffering from influenza often served to relieve the symptoms and apparently to hasten convalescence.
5. Investigation of the sinuses during epidemics of influenza is strongly recommended and urged not only on therapeutic but also on prophylactic grounds.” (1)

Robertson’s findings are relevant to today. Effective treatment of influenza sinusitis may prevent spread to the lungs. Treatment, however, is possible only with awareness of the disease entity, i.e., influenza sinusitis.

Notes:

1. H.E. Robertson: “Influenzal sinus disease and its relation to epidemic influenza.” JAMA, May 1918, Volume 70, Number 21, pp. 1533-1535. Available at
2. Pfeiffer’s bacillus, subsequently named Hemophilus influenza, was shown by Martha Wollstein, M.D., in 1919, to be “at least a very common secondary invader in influenza, and that its presence influences the pathological process.” However, patients’ serological reactions that she studied were not “sufficiently stable and clean-cut to signify that Pfeiffer’s bacillus is the specific inciting agent of epidemic influenza.” Source: Martha Wollstein: “Pfeiffer’s bacillus and influenza: A serological study.” The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Volume 30, pp. 555-568, 1919. Abstract available at http://jem.rupress.org/cgi/content/abstract/30/6/555; full text is available at http://jem.rupress.org/cgi/reprint/30/6/555; accessed July 27, 2009.

http://www.semp.us/publications/biot_reader.php?BiotID=638
Copyright 2009 – SEMP INC., All Rights Reserved.

From the trenches,

Celeste

WA Voluntary NAIS Participation Bills are UP! We need your help

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Washington State Voluntary NAIS has been introduced:

House and Senate

Six Steps to Farming Freedom

Status Report

Accompanying Documentation

“This is fantastic news,” said one Washington NoNAIS person upon hearing that House Bill (HB) 2086 was read this morning and assigned to the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and also that Senate Bill (SB) 5956 was read this morning and introduced to the Senate Agricultural and Rural Economic Development Committee at 10:30 this morning.

A team of three hit the Capital last Monday representing three impacted sectors: a Realtor, a livestock auctioneer, and a public relations manager. This team of three also represented the following species: bovine, horses, goats and poultry. With great enthusiasm and support on Friday proposed legislation regarding, “Voluntary participation in the National Animal Identification System”, known as NAIS, went into play in the Senate and the House.

Representative Shelly Short sponsored HB 2086.

Senator Mark Schoesler sponsored SB 5956.

(Please take time to thank these Legislator’s)

Both bills are located on the www.nonaiswa.org website. The proposed legislation language is identical, and is commonly referred to as Companion Bill set.

February 20th is our cutoff date for both HB 2086 and SB 5956. The Agricultural Committee Chairs must decide to hold a public hearing and move HB 2086 and SB 5956 by February 20th or the bill(s) die in committee.

The chairman of the Senate Ag Committee is Senator Brian Hatfield:

Email: hatfield.brian@leg.wa.gov

Phone: (360) 786-7636

The chair of the House Ag Committee is Representative Brian Blake.

Email: blake.brian@leg.wa.gov

Phone: (360) 786-7870

We Need Your Help!

NOW is the time we need your help! The team of three spent the entire last week in Olympia ~ 5 days ~ meeting with our representatives, educating, asking for support, asking for sponsors of these bills.  NOW IT IS UP TO YOU…

Proposed Legislation, HB 2086 & SB 5956 Status

HB 2086 and SB 5956 are new fresh new bills with new prime sponsors and new supporters. It is important to note that HB 2086 is not HB 1151. Due to the tremendous emotion and lack of unity unfortunately HB 1151 became a bad memory for many and so it was necessary to bring a squeaky clean and fresh bill with a unified support base to our Representatives and Senators. Continue reading →

Got Hunger?

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“History is indelibly written that revolution, anarchy, and tyranny are fellow travelers of hunger and malnutrition,” said a USDA scientist.  Lab 257

What are the consequences of families not eating well?

Back in the USSR


“The food and animal crop resources of the USSR would have to be damaged within a single growing season to the extent necessary to reduce the present average daily caloric intake from 2800 calories to 1400 calories, i.e., the starvation level. Reduction of the food resources to this level if maintained for 12 months would produce 20% fatalities, and would decrease manual labor performance by 95% and clerical and light labor by 80%.”

From the FAO:  Family Nutrition Guide

(also see Topic 11)

People who have poor diets and do not eat the right amounts of energy-rich food and nutrients are often sick and become malnourished. The type of malnutrition that occurs depends on which nutrients and how much of the required food energy are lacking (or are in excess) and for how long, and the age of the person.

1. Children and adults may eat too little food and become undernourished because they do not have enough food or they have a poor appetite. These people lack energy and many nutrients, which means:

• they have less energy so they cannot work, study or play as normal;

• their immune systems are weak so they become ill easily and/or are seriously ill;

• children stop growing and may lose weight. If very little food is eaten (often because of infection), a child may develop severe malnutrition (i.e. kwashiorkor or marasmus);

• adults lose weight. If a pregnant woman is undernourished, her unborn baby grows poorly. Continue reading →