Avian Influenza News and Research

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Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These influenza viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

Indonesia comes up with bird flu vaccine

The head of Indonesia's national committee on avian influenza has announced that scientists there have developed a bird flu vaccine for humans.

1 Feb 2007

Nigeria confirms avian influenza infection in woman from Lagos

The government of Nigeria has announced the death from suspected avian influenza infection in a 22-year-old female from Lagos. She died on 16 January 2007.

31 Jan 2007

Japanese authorities battle with third outbreak of bird flu

Health officials in Japan confirm that chickens on a farm in Okayama have died from a strain of bird flu; around 40 birds are thought to have succumbed to the virus which has not as yet been determined to be the deadly H5N1 strain.

29 Jan 2007

76th H5N1 case confirmed in Indonesia

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed an additional two cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

9 Jan 2007

HHS and BioCryst advance development of new influenza drug

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced that the Department has awarded a $102.6 million, four-year contract to BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for advanced development of their influenza antiviral drug, peramivir.

7 Jan 2007

DNA vaccine for H5N1 avian influenza enters human trial

The first human trial of a DNA vaccine designed to prevent H5N1 avian influenza infection began on December 21, 2006, when the vaccine was administered to the first volunteer at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD.

3 Jan 2007

Bird flu vaccine ready in a year but who will get it first?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says a vaccine against the killer H5N1 bird flu virus could be licensed for humans within a year.

11 Dec 2006

Roche says Tamiflu still number one drug for fighting bird flu

Drug giant Roche has denied there has been any new evidence that suggests resistance to its drug Tamiflu was on the increase.

29 Nov 2006

Bird flu hits another farm in South Korea

A second outbreak of the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu at another poultry farm has been confirmed by South Korean authorities; the farm is just 3 km from the first case in North Cholla province in the country's southwest.

29 Nov 2006

South Korea to cull pigs, cats and dogs as well as poultry, to stop bird flu

In an attempt to halt the further spread of the current outbreak of bird flu in South Korea, as well as culling 236,000 poultry, the Agriculture Ministry also plans to cull hundreds of pigs, dogs and cats in the area.

28 Nov 2006

US orders more bird flu vaccine for the stockpile

The U.S. government has ordered enough vaccine to protect another 2.7 million people against bird flu.

22 Nov 2006

HHS purchases more vaccines for an influenza pandemic

HHS has announced the purchase of additional vaccine that could be used in the event of a potential influenza pandemic.

20 Nov 2006

MChip to detect H5N1

Scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed an inexpensive "gene chip" test based on a single influenza virus gene that could allow scientists to quickly identify flu viruses, including avian influenza H5N1.

14 Nov 2006

Indonesia confirms 74th case of bird flu

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed an additional two cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

13 Nov 2006

Study identifies different species of North American birds that could transmit bird flu

University of Georgia researchers have found that the common wood duck and laughing gull are very susceptible to highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses and have the potential to transmit them.

23 Oct 2006

Statement by Mike Leavitt on WHO global pandemic influenza action plan to increase vaccine supply

The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken a significant step forward in the global effort to prepare for an influenza pandemic by publishing the Global Pandemic Influenza Action Plan to Increase Vaccine Supply.

23 Oct 2006

Swiss become the first to bulk buy pre-pandemic bird flu vaccine

Switzerland has apparently ordered enough of an experimental bird flu vaccine to inoculate it's entire population.

19 Oct 2006

Bird flu death toll in Indonesia reaches 55

There have been another two confirmed deaths from bird flu in Indonesia which has taken the death toll there to 55.

16 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

Indonesia confirms three more cases of bird flu

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed an additional three cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. All three cases were fatal.

16 Oct 2006