title: Ascorbic acid role in containment of the world avian flu pandemic.
abstract: In this Comment, the ultimate intent is to increase survival of the anticipated global flu pandemic. The apparent failure of "medicine" to provide a completely understood and logically based biochemical prevention and treatment for all influenzas (and many other viral diseases) may be an unavoidable result of the evolving complexity of the H5N1 virus. However, clinical experience cited in all accounts, including the 2003 to 2006 period, suggest that: (i) ascorbic acid is not being administered to humans infected or at risk for influenza, and (ii) ascorbic acid is (mistakenly) believed to be a vitamin ("vitamin C"). Proper use of ascorbic acid as described here could provide effective containment for the flu pandemic.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. ely@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: John T A
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ely
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D004032:Diet; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000378:metabolism*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011200:Poultry
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid