Technocrat

1918 "Spanish Flu" Survivor Tapped for Help on Avian Flu

zogger
Tue May 23 18:31:33 -0700 2006
Health+and+Medicine.
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Tapped as in literally tapped..for blood. A survivor of the spanish flu pandemic of 1918 has agreed to give vials of blood so that researchers can study how she was able to cope with the disease.

"A 92-year-old woman who survived the Spanish flu in 1918 has given 10 vials of her blood to medical researchers who are trying to develop more effective vaccines against bird flu."...more proven immunology there

1918 "Spanish Flu" Survivor Tapped for Help on Avian Flu
Beryllium Sphere(r)
Tue May 23 18:45:50 -0700 2006
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Coolness! We'll have antibodies to compare to the flu virus sequence which was the goal of some unnecessarily colorful research

For perspective, that virus killed more people than all the tanks, machine guns, bombs and poison gas of World War I.
1918 "Spanish Flu" Survivor Tapped for Help on Avian Flu
curtisk
Wed May 24 09:54:10 -0700 2006
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For perspective, that virus killed more people than all the tanks, machine guns, bombs and poison gas of World War I.

 Yes, but did it have scores of made for TV movies about it? No you say? Then it just isn't important or of any  significance!

*Sarcastic mode off*

That is pretty cool that they have a comparison antibody, and its a good thing that they "tapped" the donor when they did, 92! While they are at they might as well search her blood for what kept her going to that age!
1918 "Spanish Flu" Survivor Tapped for Help on Avian Flu
bill_mcgonigle
Tue May 30 13:46:37 -0700 2006
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While they are at they might as well search her blood for what kept her going to that age!

Being better than average at manufacturing antibodies couldn't have hurt!
 

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