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African countries should step up surveillance and border controls for bird flu

The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus often spreads through the movement of affected birds, FAO/World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said.

13 Feb 2006

National childhood flu-vaccine programs should include evaluation component

If the United States were to launch an annual influenza-vaccination program among the nation's school children, resources also should go to evaluate the program's success in reducing community-wide flu transmission, according to a "Policy Forum" editorial in Science authored by researchers based at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

12 Feb 2006

Bird flu found in wild birds in Greece, Italy and Bulgaria

According to European officials, the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been found in wild birds in Italy and Greece, and in Bulgaria.

12 Feb 2006

New technology for accelerating development of vaccines against H5N1 flu

Technology that enables scientists to identify targets for the development of vaccines against viruses such as H5N1 in weeks rather than months has entered a pilot study at ProImmune, Oxford, UK.

7 Feb 2006

Doctors' conscience has little place in the delivery of modern medical care

A doctor's conscience should not be allowed to interfere with medical care, argues an ethics expert in the British Medical Journal.

7 Feb 2006

Copper could help prevent the spread of flu infections

Copper could help prevent the spread of flu infections. Recent research at the University of Southampton shows that the Influenza A virus is virtually eradicated within six hours on copper surfaces.

2 Feb 2006

Vaccine against ricin safe and effective

Scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, say a vaccine against the deadly toxin ricin is safe and effective.

31 Jan 2006

Three cases of bird flu in Iraq

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a teenager in Iraq who died on January 17th had the H5N1 virus.

30 Jan 2006

Two wild birds dead from bird flu in Hong Kong in two weeks

The Hong Kong government has confirmed another wild bird has been found to have died from bird flu.

30 Jan 2006

Deadly birdflu virus reaches Cyprus

According to European Union officials the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu has been detected in poultry in northern Cyprus.

30 Jan 2006

Bird flu jab for chickens could halt spread of the virus

U.S. researchers say they have produced a vaccine in less than a month which completely protects chickens from the deadly H5N1 virus.

29 Jan 2006

Saudi Arabia culls falcons with bird flu

According to the Agriculture Ministry in Saudi Arabia, 37 falcons have been culled after five of them tested positive to the H5 virus of the avian flu.

29 Jan 2006

First large-scale bird flu genome study

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have completed the first large-scale study of bird flu virus genomes, thereby doubling the amount of genetic information available on the genes and proteins of these viruses.

26 Jan 2006

Study estimates 500,000 fatalities from bird flu pandemic outbreak in Japan

Risk Management Solutions, Inc. (RMS) released the findings of an in-depth study that provides life and personal accident insurers in Japan with key benchmarks for the potential risk of human casualties from catastrophic events.

26 Jan 2006

Follow the money trail to track the disease

It seems that a popular Web site in the United States that tracks the geographical circulation of money could cast new light on predicting where infectious diseases like bird flu might pop up.

26 Jan 2006

Markets in Asia great place to catch bird flu

The death of the 29-year-old woman takes the death toll in China from the deadly virus to seven since November.

26 Jan 2006

Injection no better than a placebo at preventing influenza in children

U.S. health authorities should have waited for more evidence before recommending routine flu shots for healthy toddlers, according to a new systematic review of studies involving half a million children worldwide.

25 Jan 2006

Avian influenza could have disastrous effects on countries' economies, infrastructures, populations, public health and stability

In the past, when government leaders, policymakers and scholars have turned their attention to peace and security issues, the talk invariably has focused on war, arms control or anti-terrorism strategies. But Julian Palmore believes it's time to expand the scope of the conversation.

25 Jan 2006

WHO says Asian states too slow in reporting bird flu

The regional director for the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the Western Pacific has complained that Asian countries take too long to report some human cases of bird flu and this could hamper any efforts to contain a possible pandemic.

24 Jan 2006