Political Crossfire Forums

[Melchior]

Oprah had a guest on her show today (forgot who he was) talking about the bird flu. He said it was inevitable that the virus would mutate and transmit from person to person. What freaked me out though, was that he said people from the ages 20 to 40 would be affected the word, because it attacks the immune system and sends it into overdrive. Apparently it's your immune system that's killing you, especially if you have a healthy one. :?

Is there anyone here who understands biology and can explain this better?

[Kumar]

Melchior wrote: Oprah had a guest on her show today (forgot who he was) talking about the bird flu. He said it was inevitable that the virus would mutate and transmit from person to person. What freaked me out though, was that he said people from the ages 20 to 40 would be affected the word, because it attacks the immune system and sends it into overdrive. Apparently it's your immune system that's killing you, especially if you have a healthy one. :?

Is there anyone here who understands biology and can explain this better?

The overdrive is referred to as a cytokine storm. Cytokine storms are complex. If you are infected, cytokines serve as messenger molecules that signal cells of the immune system to the site of concern. Once they arrive, cytokines alter these cells to produce even more cytokines. This normally isn't a problem as it's usually kept in check by the body, but it can cause serious damage to body organs if uncontolled.

Incidentally, her guest was Dr. Mike Osterholm. He has created an animation for the New England Journal of Medicine:
http://content.nejm.org/content/vol352/issue18/images/data/1839/DC2/NEJM_Osterholm_1839sf1.swf

Just to make clear some things in the animation: Macrophages are a type of white blood cell key to removing foreign agents in the body. T cells are also a type of white blood cell key to an immune response, attacking pathogens.

Ironically, the more efficient your immune system, the more at risk you are in this scenario.

[GTTofAK]

Yep its your immune system attacking your lungs that kills you which his why I have wondered if immunosuppressant drugs like cyclosporine A or even anabolic steroids in a supply pinch could actually be an effective treatment.

[skel1977]

Melchior wrote: Oprah had a guest on her show today (forgot who he was) talking about the bird flu. He said it was inevitable that the virus would mutate and transmit from person to person. What freaked me out though, was that he said people from the ages 20 to 40 would be affected the word, because it attacks the immune system and sends it into overdrive. Apparently it's your immune system that's killing you, especially if you have a healthy one. :?

Is there anyone here who understands biology and can explain this better?

I cant comment on what was said on Oprah because I didnt see it. I can say that I work at a laboratory that studies the virus. There is a chance it might mutate and be able to pass to humans but the odds of that happening are low.

[bob.appleyard]

GTTofAK wrote: Yep its your immune system attacking your lungs that kills you which his why I have wondered if immunosuppressant drugs like cyclosporine A or even anabolic steroids in a supply pinch could actually be an effective treatment.

Not a bad idea at all.

[George W Bush]

isnt immune attacking something like aids?

i mean, with aids, your immune system attacks right?

if not, whats preventing the creation of a cure where the attacking cells are increased to wipe out the bad cells.

go easy. i'm not a scientist. :?

[bob.appleyard]

George W Bush wrote: isnt immune attacking something like aids?

i mean, with aids, your immune system attacks right?

if not, whats preventing the creation of a cure where the attacking cells are increased to wipe out the bad cells.

go easy. i'm not a scientist. :?

I though aids was your immune system being switched off.

[TNBiologist]

George W Bush wrote: isnt immune attacking something like aids?

i mean, with aids, your immune system attacks right?

if not, whats preventing the creation of a cure where the attacking cells are increased to wipe out the bad cells.

go easy. i'm not a scientist. :?

HIV/AIDs attacks your immune system, specifically your T-cells. It does not cause your immune system to attack you. To put it simply, AIDs overloads your immune system by destroying your t-cells thereby making it extremely hard for you body to fight off even a mild infection. It is so hard to treat AIDs because the virus mutates at a rapid rate, 20 people with AIDs may have 15 different variations of the virus. This is why the drugs to treat AIDs are called a cocktail. It is a variety of different drugs in different doses and ratios to each other depending on which strain of HIV a person has.