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Another wild bird in Hong Kong tests positive for H5N1

Authorities in Hong Kong say a wild oriental magpie robin found dead ten days ago has tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus.

9 Mar 2008

Research helps explain why some flu strains cause major pandemics and others lead to seasonal epidemics

The exchange of genetic material between two closely related strains of the influenza A virus may have caused the 1947 and 1951 human flu epidemics, according to biologists.

6 Mar 2008

Roche on Tamiflu label revision

Roche has informed healthcare professionals that the prescribing information for Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) has been updated to reflect recommendations made by the FDA Pediatric Advisory Committee at a November 27, 2007 meeting regarding neuropsychiatric events.

6 Mar 2008

ISG15 protein inhibits Ebola from reaching out to infect neighboring cells

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine have identified a protein, ISG15, that inhibits the Ebola virus from budding, the process by which viruses escape from cells and spread to infect neighboring cells.

6 Mar 2008

Five steps to get on track with preventive screenings

Five health prevention strategies could save more than 100,000 lives a year, according to recent research reported in the March issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

6 Mar 2008

Warning of psychiatric side effects with flu drug Tamiflu

Warnings are being issued concerning the drug Tamiflu by both the drug company Roche and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S.

5 Mar 2008

New research shows why winter is the season for flu

Researchers in the United States believe they have discovered why flu and other respiratory viruses are more prevalent in winter.

3 Mar 2008

Rresearch may lead to a better flu vaccine

New research from a scientist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has uncovered information that may someday lead to a better flu vaccine.

28 Feb 2008

Stopping bird flu at the border

Several strains of the bird flu virus that raged across southern China were blocked from entering Thailand and Vietnam, UC Irvine researchers have discovered.

28 Feb 2008

Chronic disease as great a threat as terrorists

According to international experts the global threat from chronic disease is as great as the threat of terrorism and too little is being done to fight it.

25 Feb 2008

Another suspected bird flu case in China

Authorities in China have reported another possible bird flu case in the country, the fourth this year.

25 Feb 2008

New scientific map shows Australia is not a hotspot for new diseases

An international team of scientists has warned that tropical regions are likely to become a future hotspot for new diseases; but fortunately Australia is not one of them.

21 Feb 2008

The end of the sickie could be in sight

The end of the 'sickie' could be in sight particularly for Brits. There are moves afoot in Britain to change what the health secretary Alan Johnson calls the sick-note culture.

20 Feb 2008

Indonesia accuses U.S. and WHO of bird flu conspiracy

A new book by an Indonesian Health Minister has accused the United States and the World Health Organisation (WHO) of trying to profit from the spread of bird flu.

20 Feb 2008

Bird flu strikes poultry in Tibet, man dies in Viet Nam

Chinese authorities have confirmed another bird flu outbreak in Tibet this year, the country's second in 2008.

20 Feb 2008

Winter in China brings another bird flu death

The man, Mr Li was from Jianghua County, Yongzhou City in central Hunan Province, he developed a fever and headache and was hospitalised on January 22nd, but despite treatment his symptoms worsened and he died at 5 p.m. on January 24th after all rescue attempts had failed.

18 Feb 2008