Biosecurity News and Research

RSS

Biosecurity is a set of preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, quarantined pests, invasive alien species, living modified organisms.

What Impact is Antimicrobial Resistance having on Animal Health?

For World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022, we speak to Junxia Song, FAO Senior Animal Health Officer, about the impact AMR is having on animal health.

24 Nov 2022

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week: Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together

In this interview, News-Medical talks to Dr Javier Yugueros-Marcos, Head of the Antimicrobial Resistance and Veterinary Products Department at the World Organisation for Animal Health, about how the world can work together to promote the sustainable and responsible use of antimicrobials.

18 Nov 2022

IHV researchers receive $7.5 million to control cancer among people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa

Institute of Human Virology researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have received two five-year awards from the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute (NCI) for a total of $7.5 million.

31 Oct 2022

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone declared across Great Britain to mitigate the risk of disease

Following an increase in the number of detections of avian influenza (bird flu) in wild birds and on commercial premises, the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone across Great Britain to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and captive birds.

17 Oct 2022

Independent Task Force report outlines a One Health approach to address risk factors for future pandemics

The Independent Task Force on COVID-19 and other Pandemics (www.independentcovidtaskforce.org) announced that their report "Pandemic Origins and a One Health Approach to Preparedness and Prevention: Solutions Based on SARS-CoV-2 and Other RNA Viruses" has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

10 Oct 2022

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals dynamic immune landscape during the early stages of bubonic plague

This study is led by Dr. Ruifu Yang, Dr. Zongmin Du (State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology) and Dr. Fan Bai (Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, School of Life Sciences, Peking University).

16 Sep 2022

ParAqua develops an interactive database to fill the gap in knowledge about zoosporic parasites

ParAqua COST Action, which gathers researchers, innovators, and producers of microalgae across Europe and beyond, have started the development of an interactive database on zoosporic algae parasites.

5 Sep 2022

Detection of a novel bird flu virus with pandemic potential

A recent virological study published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal identified the novel influenza A virus (H3N8) in live poultry in Hong Kong, genetically similar to the zoonotic H3N8 viruses reported in mainland China with its origin akin to H5N1, H5N6, H10N8, and H7N9 viruses.

31 Aug 2022

Disrupting a virus’s genome packaging can halt replication, study finds

Like savvy international travelers, viruses know exactly how to pack. With the genetic instructions for the next generation folded just so, snuggled into a custom-made outer covering studded with cell-grabbing proteins, these tiny invaders quest for new digs on the reg.

30 Aug 2022

Non-traditional pet owners at increased risk of zoonotic diseases

Contact with non-traditional pets increases the risk of exposure to zoonotic pathogens, which are pathogens that spread between animals and people.

23 Jun 2022

Novel Hendra virus variant detected in flying fox urine

Researchers reported on the detection of a novel Hendra virus variant of genotype 2 (HeV-g2) in the urine of grey-headed and black flying foxes in Australia.

12 Apr 2022

Managing hazardous waste during the Covid-19 pandemic

In a hospital or medical environment, preventing and delaying the spread of Coronavirus goes far beyond washing hands. Good biosecurity is essential, and the safe disposal of infected waste will save lives.

From Inciner8 Limited 1 Apr 2022

The intercontinental spread of high-pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus

Researchers aim to better understand the landscape movement of the avian influenza virus.

24 Mar 2022

UK's fight against zoonotic diseases receives a £200 million boost

The UK's fight against zoonotic diseases, including avian flu and bovine tuberculosis received a major boost today (16 February) with the allocation of £200 million for a programme of investment into world leading research facilities.

15 Feb 2022

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies found in wild mustelids in France

A new study focused on the identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection in wild mustelids in the French region of Brittany.

26 Jan 2022

Monitoring rodents for SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses, Hong Kong

A new study published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal has hypothesized that locations with positive SARS-CoV-2 in sewage could be used as potential surveillance targets to analyze if pestiferous urban rodents shed SARS-CoV-2 into the environment.

16 Jan 2022

Researchers explore consequences of eroding norms over release of self-spreading viruses

Decades of research by generations of virologists have generally established that the use laboratory-modified self-spreading viruses is too unpredictable to be applied safely outside of contained facilities.

6 Jan 2022

New report warns about failure to appreciate the complex nature of environmental risks

Complex risks to human health and wellbeing have been neglected by governments and NGOs because of a failure appreciate the complex nature of environmental risks, a new report warns.

20 Dec 2021

New prevention zone to protect poultry and captive birds from avian influenza

From 8pm on 21 November 2021, a new avian influenza prevention zone will be declared in parts of North Yorkshire in England, namely the districts of Harrogate, Hambleton and Richmondshire, which means that it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers in that area to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.

21 Nov 2021

Ask KHN-Politifact: Is my cloth mask good enough to face the delta variant?

In recent months, some European airlines have banned the use of cloth face coverings to control the spread of the coronavirus during air travel, instead favoring surgical masks — sometimes referred to as medical or disposable — and N95 respirators.

20 Sep 2021