avian flu and mad cow

Last week, I joked to this new professor who I will be working with next semester at SCUML that I have been so sick and must have either avian flu or mad cow. He took me seriously which means he thought that I thought that I must have one of these rare afflictions-which means he must think I'm an idiot. He did not laugh at my silly joke. He went on and on about the improbability of my illness being avian flu. "Why avian flu has not even reached this continent yet," he assured me. This does nothing for my self-esteem.

With that said, this next post is dedicated to influenza and madness of the cow.

Flu-hype or fact? My guess is hype!
Avian flu vaccine trials-already? Avian flu- I say to you-Bring it on!
latest on bovine spongiform encephalopathy all about prions
what mad cow does to the brain Tasty!