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.

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

Boy's death takes Indonesia's bird flu death toll to 53

The death toll in Indonesia from bird flu has now reached 53 with the death of an 11-year-old boy on Saturday from the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus.

16 Oct 2006

FDA approves FluLaval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved FluLaval, an influenza vaccine to immunize people 18 years of age and older against the disease caused by strains of influenza virus judged likely to cause seasonal flu in the Northern Hemisphere in 2006-2007.

5 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

Indonesia confirms 69th human case of bird flu

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country's 69th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

3 Oct 2006

Sydney bird flu suspect may be just another drug mule

According to reports the man who triggered a bird flu scare in Sydney after becoming ill on a flight from Vietnam may have been a drug courier.

28 Sep 2006

New clues about virulence of 1918 influenza virus

The first comprehensive analysis of an animal's immune response to the 1918 influenza virus provides new insights into the killer flu, report federally supported scientists in an article appearing online in the journal Nature.

28 Sep 2006

Bird flu strikes again in Thailand

The death of a 59-year-old farmer in northeastern Thailand last month has taken the countries death toll from bird-flu to 17 since late 2003 and is the third death this year.

27 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

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

Countries urged to prepare for a worst-case scenario such as an influenza pandemic

The increasing threat from emerging infectious diseases makes it imperative that countries prepare for rapid response and containment activities and for a worst-case scenario such as an influenza pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has advised.

21 Sep 2006

Iraq confirms third bird flu case

The Ministry of Health in Iraq has retrospectively confirmed the country’s third case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

19 Sep 2006

Live H5N1 avian flu vaccines show promise

When tested in mice and ferrets, experimental vaccines based on live, weakened versions of different strains of the H5N1 avian influenza virus were well-tolerated and protected the animals from a deadly infection with naturally occurring H5N1 flu viruses.

13 Sep 2006

Live H5N1 avian flu virus vaccines show protection in animal studies

12 Sep 2006

Bird flu tests on Maryland wild Mallard ducks confirm low-pathogenic H5N1

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior today announced final test results, which confirm that an H5N1 avian influenza virus detected in fecal samples collected last month from resident wild mallard ducks in Maryland is a low pathogenic subtype.

12 Sep 2006

Bird flu death toll in Indonesia now up to 48

According to the Ministry of Health in Indonesia a new case of the H5N1 avian influenza virus has been confirmed in a young girl.

12 Sep 2006

Post-9/11 travel restrictions delayed 'bird flu'

The onset of the flu season in the USA has been shown to be influenced by air travel. After flights were restricted following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the flu season started about two weeks later than usual.

12 Sep 2006

New Indonesian case of human infection with the H5N1 virus

The case is a 14-year-old female from Makassar, South Sulawesi Province. She developed symptoms on 18 June, was hospitalized on 23 June and died on 24 June.

11 Sep 2006

GPS the latest tool in fight against avian influenza

Wearing light solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters, wild swans from Mongolia are winging their way across Eurasia, while land-bound scientists tracking the birds' journeys on computers say that these unique studies will shed light on how wild birds may be involved in the spread of avian influenza.

6 Sep 2006