Thu, 22 September 2005
Have you heard of H5N1? It sounds like the title of a science fiction book, but it's actually the name of a virus with the potential of killing every second person who contracts it. As the news media slowly bring this virus to our attention, I went looking for someone in the know to interview. I found Crawford Kilian, who has some information about H5N1 or avian flu, also called bird flu, that you should listen to. Now, he's not a medical expert on this topic; however, Mr. Kilian is an engaging English professor living in Vancouver, British Columbia. I found him fascinating and pragmatic in his thinking. His website: http://crofsblogs.typepad.com. He's a published author with more than 20 books on Amazon, and has an insatiable curiosity that delves into science fiction, history, medicine, travel, and technology. When he learned about H5N1, he put together the puzzle pieces from his grandparents' experience with the Spanish flu in the early 1900s, his own experiences with the polio epidemic in the 1940s and teaching in China in the early '80s, the SARS outbreaks in Canada a couple of years ago, and his knowledge of the current speed of global travel. An active blogger, Crawford poses some questions and provides some answers in his blog: H5N1. Avian Flu -- What You Need to Know Connotea Effect Measure CIDRAP Bird Flu Today The Coming Influenza Pandemic? Recombinomics - Henry Niman Comments[5]
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