Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

So far no bird flu cluster in Indonesian village

According to health officials in Indonesia no evidence has been found of human-to-human transmission of H5N1 bird flu in the remote villages of West Java which have witnessed the latest outbreak of the deadly virus.

24 Aug 2006

Indonesia plays down bird flu cluster as family takes child home with suspected bird flu

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has confirmed the country’s 59th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus in a 35-year-old woman from the district of Cikelet, in West Java Province.

21 Aug 2006

Asia needs cheap and affordable drugs to fight disease

The World Health Organisation (WHO) regional conference on August 22-25 will meet to discuss health strategies, including the fight against bird flu.

21 Aug 2006

AIDS 2006 new studies and developments

As part of its expanded coverage of the XVI International AIDS Conference, held through Aug. 18 in Toronto, the Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report will feature studies and initiatives released during the conference.

20 Aug 2006

Chink in the armour of H5N1 bird flu virus

British scientists say they have made a breakthrough in their development of a bird flu drug that could treat humans in the event of an outbreak.

20 Aug 2006

Bird flu cluster suspected in Indonesian village

A possible new bird flu cluster is being investigated in an Indonesian village following the death of a woman last week from the virus.

20 Aug 2006

What we have learnt from SARS epidemics in China?

Lessons learnt from SARS epidemics in China may help us prepare for new epidemics, such as human avian flu, say experts in this week's British Medical Journal.

17 Aug 2006

Global fund director Feachem, Rev. Warren partner to increase funding for faith-based groups

Richard Feachem, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Rev. Rick Warren on Wednesday at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto announced that they will be partnering to increase funding for faith-based groups in Warren's global church network, USA Today reports.

17 Aug 2006

Study identifies prevention interventions set to reduce HIV infection in young people

For the first time, the effectiveness of different types of HIV interventions in schools, health services, media, communities, and for young people most at risk of HIV have been reviewed and graded for their usefulness.

17 Aug 2006

Natural HIV immunity

An international, multi-institutional research consortium is seeking to discover how a few HIV-infected individuals are naturally able to suppress replication of the virus.

16 Aug 2006

AIDS vaccine still long way off

Researchers are optimistic about a potential HIV/AIDS vaccine, even though none of the vaccines in development is likely to completely protect people from HIV transmission, participants at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto said at a news conference Tuesday, Reuters reports.

16 Aug 2006

Elite suppressors of HIV to change how scientists monitor spread of disease

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have found that 1 percent to 2 percent of those infected with HIV in Baltimore apparently suppress the virus to nearly undetectable levels on their own, confounding public health efforts to accurately monitor the pandemic's spread, now in its 20th year.

15 Aug 2006

New avian flu facility awards its first grant

The Avian and Human Influenza Facility, a multidonor financing mechanism administered by the World Bank, announced today that the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) was awarded a grant in the amount of US$2 million for the Avian and Human Influenza Control and Preparedness Project.

15 Aug 2006

Wild swans in the U.S. found to have strain of H5N1 bird flu

Officials at the Agriculture Department in the United States have found two swans in a Michigan gaming area with possibly another strain of the bird flu virus.

14 Aug 2006

Bill Gates says protecting against HIV/AIDS can't be left to men

Microsoft founder Bill Gates says all the money in the world will not conquer HIV/AIDS unless more progress is made in preventing new infections. Gates says women and other high-risk groups must be given the ability to protect themselves.

14 Aug 2006

Bird flu doing the rounds in Cambodia again

According to officials in Cambodia a second outbreak of bird flu has occurred there this year in southeast Prey Veng, the same province where the H5N1 virus killed a boy in April, about 20 km from the Cambodia-Vietnam border.

14 Aug 2006

Recently patented technology promotes early warning of pandemics

Rapid analysis and response in the very early stages of a pandemic or bioterrorism event can sharply limit its deadly impact.

10 Aug 2006

USDA, DOI and state partners begin monitoring wild migratory birds in lower 48 states

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne today announced that their departments are expanding wild bird monitoring for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza.

9 Aug 2006

Indonesia - 43 dead from bird flu

According to health officials in Indonesia a 16-year-old boy who died on Monday has tested positive for bird flu.

8 Aug 2006

Long-term effects of in utero influenza exposure in the post-1940 U.S. population

While much attention has been paid to how inherited traits such as skin tone or height influence economic success, a groundbreaking new study from the Journal of Political Economy argues that it is a malleable characteristic - in utero health - that most strongly indicates how well a child will fare in adulthood.

7 Aug 2006