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Bird flu crops up again in South Korea

South Korea has found the H5N1 strain of bird flu in chickens at a poultry farm.

27 Nov 2006

Africa is developing solutions for fighting disease and improving health

The signs are everywhere, across the continent: Africa is finding African approaches to solving its health problems.

20 Nov 2006

When it comes to economic prosperity, obesity is as damaging as malnutrition

According to a World Bank expert, obesity could damage economic output as severely as malnutrition in the poorest countries.

16 Nov 2006

WHO has a go at China over new birdflu strain

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the new strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus currently circulating in China has shown no significant signs of mutation which would enable it to spread easily among people.

6 Nov 2006

Chinese lack of transparency could trigger bird flu pandemic

The transparency of health authorities in China has come under criticism yet again with the news of a new strain of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus which virologists say could be resistant to vaccines.

1 Nov 2006

Reduction of acrylamide formation in French fries by microwave pre-cooking of potato strips

Microwaving your French fries before you fry them reduces the levels of a cancer-causing substance, reveals findings published today in the SCI's Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

31 Oct 2006

UN program teaches AIDS orphans farming and life skills

A U.N. program is helping Kenyan children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS-related illnesses learn basic agricultural techniques and other life skills, PlusNews reports.

19 Oct 2006

Ohio wild bird samples undergo additional bird flu testing

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced a detection of H5 and N1 avian influenza subtypes in samples from apparently healthy wild Northern pintails in Ottawa County, Ohio, that were killed by a hunter.

16 Oct 2006

Explaining how E. coli reached spinach fields not an easy task

It appears that California State health officials are at a loss to explain the source of a nationwide outbreak of E. coli food poisoning.

16 Oct 2006

New crisis management centre will speed response to bird flu and other threats

Dr Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, has inaugurated a new FAO Crisis Management Centre (CMC) to fight Avian Influenza outbreaks and other major animal health or food health-related emergencies.

16 Oct 2006

Latest recall - lettuce with E. coli

In the latest scare over foods contaminated by the bacteria E. coli, another Californian grower has recalled a product, but this time it is not spinach or ground beef, but lettuce.

9 Oct 2006

FDA statement on foodborne E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach

To date, 199 cases of illness due to E. coli O157:H7 infection have been reported to CDC, including 31 cases of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), 102 hospitalizations and three deaths.

8 Oct 2006

Another bird flu outbreak in China

China's Ministry of Agriculture says scientists have confirmed an outbreak of bird flu has killed 1,000 domestic poultry in a village in China's northwest.

4 Oct 2006

Illinois wild bird samples undergo additional testing for bird flu

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) have announced a detection of the H5 and N1 avian influenza subtypes in samples from wild, migratory Green-winged Teals in Illinois.

3 Oct 2006

Spinach now safe but FDA still worried

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now saying it is safe to eat spinach and that they believe all the E. Coli-tainted spinach produced by the San Juan Bautista, California-based Natural Selection Foods company has been recalled, the FDA still has concerns.

2 Oct 2006

Dangers of drinking raw milk

Four children in California have found out that drinking milk may not always be such a healthy option.

25 Sep 2006

Tests confirm low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in in Pennsylvania ducks

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior has announced final test results, which confirm that low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus was found in samples collected last month from wild mallard ducks in Pennsylvania.

25 Sep 2006

Inclusion of prescription drug reimportation provision in delaying action on homeland security appropriations

Provisions that would permit U.S. residents to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs from abroad have become a "major sticking point" to settling negotiations on the House and Senate fiscal year 2007 Homeland Security appropriations bills, CongressDaily reports (CongressDaily, 9/19).

22 Sep 2006

USAID Administrator Randall Tobias on bird flu spread

In the past year, the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus moved rapidly outside of Southeast Asia and spread into Europe, Eurasia, and Africa.

21 Sep 2006

Montana wild bird samples undergo additional avian influenza tests

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior today announced a detection of the H5 and N1 avian influenza subtypes in samples from wild Northern pintail ducks in Montana.

21 Sep 2006