Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

China falls victim to deadly alliance of Formula One and British American Tobacco

The staging of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai this weekend confirms Formula One motor racing as a leading vector of the global tobacco pandemic

23 Sep 2004

Aventis Pasteur to manufacture and store 2 million doses of avian influenza H5N1 vaccine

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced the awarding of a contract to Aventis Pasteur Inc. to manufacture and store 2 million doses of avian influenza H5N1 vaccine

22 Sep 2004

Genome researchers to look at 1918 Spanish flu

University of Washington researchers will be taking part in a multi-site project examining a portion of the genome of the strain of influenza responsible for the "Spanish Flu" outbreak in 1918.

20 Sep 2004

WHO calls for effective partnerships to tackle zoonoses

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to improve their capacity to respond to emergencies posed by natural, accidental and intentional contamination of food.

16 Sep 2004

New diagnostic tests for bird flu

On the final day of the recent HPA conference, delegates heard about work that the Agency is carrying out to prepare for an avian flu pandemic.

16 Sep 2004

WHO calls enhanced preparedness for SARS and avian influenza

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to put in place preventive measures and enhance preparedness ready for the possible re-emergence of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and avian influenza A (H5N1) in humans.

14 Sep 2004

Growing global threat from avian influenza

"Unless intensive efforts are made, a pandemic is very likely to occur," Dr Shigeru Omi, WHO's Regional Director for the Western Pacific, told a news conference in Shanghai.

13 Sep 2004

Bird flu has jumped species barrier to cats

Now the United Nations health agency is investigating reports that bird flu, which experts say could mutate into a potentially deadly human pandemic under certain conditions, has now jumped the species barrier to infect cats.

4 Sep 2004

Major trends in AIDS research that the different research teams throughout the world are pursuing

The science will be presented during the conference which is taking place in Lausanne until September 1, 2004. The advances in fundamental research, notably through a better understanding of the complex processes of immune defence, HIV and the functioning of vaccines, promote the genesis and development of new vaccine candidates.

30 Aug 2004

Call for increased political and financial commitment to the development of preventive and therapeutic AIDS vaccines

At the opening ceremony of the Lausanne, Switzerland, AIDS VACCINE '04 conference, leaders in the field of AIDS vaccine research called for increased political and financial commitment to facilitate the development of preventive and therapeutic AIDS vaccines as a public health imperative in fighting HIV/AIDS.

30 Aug 2004

African-Americans and Asians more pessimistic about the health systems ability to cope with a bioterrorist event

While nearly three-quarters of Americans believe that the public health system would respond fairly in a bioterrorist event, African-Americans and Asians adhere to this view in smaller proportions, perhaps because of past discriminatory policies put in place by health officials, according to a new UCLA study.

30 Aug 2004

Emergence of drug resistant influenza viruses more common than previously thought

Results of a small study from Japan in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggest that the emergence of influenza viruses which are resistant to a widely used influenza drug may be more common than previously thought.

26 Aug 2004

U.S. plan for influenza pandemic response

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has unveiled the draft Pandemic Influenza Response and Preparedness Plan, which outlines a coordinated national strategy to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic.

26 Aug 2004

Inevitable that H5N1 avian influenza viruses will be detected in pigs

Considering the widespread nature of the current H5N1 outbreak in Asia and the capability of influenza viruses to jump the species barriers, it is inevitable that H5N1 virus will be detected in some pigs.

26 Aug 2004

Hong Kong suspends bird and poultry imports from Malaysia, after deadly H5 avian influenza was found

The Hong Kong Government has suspended the import of live birds and poultry meat from Malaysia, after a strain of the deadly H5 avian influenza was found in Kelantan.

20 Aug 2004

Embryonic stem cell therapy show benefits in rebuilding damaged heart

Despite improvements in earlier diagnosis and treatment, cardiovascular disease is far and away the leading cause of death in the U.S. and the world.

18 Aug 2004

2004 AIDS Vaccine Conference has announced it's forthcoming programme

The Conference will examine the entire spectrum of issues in AIDS vaccine development and deployment, including the global effort in preventative and therapeutic vaccines, immunology, pediatric and adolescent vaccines, clinical trials in emerging countries and the need for strong political and financial commitment.

17 Aug 2004

Contract for the production of an investigational vaccine based on an H9N2 strain of avian influenza virus

In 1999 and 2003, an H9N2 influenza strain caused illness in three people in Hong Kong. Scientists are concerned about H9N2 and other emerging types of avian influenza viruses because as they spread—most commonly through poultry—they continually mutate, increasing chances that they may infect humans, evade the body’s immune response and become more lethal.

17 Aug 2004

Three recent deaths in Viet Nam were caused by infection with avian influenza

The Ministry of Health in Viet Nam has informed the World Health Organization (WHO) that three recent deaths from influenza-like illness in Viet Nam were caused by infection with avian influenza. These are the first officially reported cases of avian influenza in Viet Nam since late February.

13 Aug 2004

$5 million to assist Pacific island nations develop and implement country-specific HIV/AIDS prevention

Australia will provide $5 million for a Pacific HIV/AIDS Grant Scheme to assist Pacific island nations develop and implement country-specific HIV/AIDS prevention and information campaigns.

11 Aug 2004

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

China falls victim to deadly alliance of Formula One and British American Tobacco

Aventis Pasteur to manufacture and store 2 million doses of avian influenza H5N1 vaccine

Genome researchers to look at 1918 Spanish flu

WHO calls for effective partnerships to tackle zoonoses

New diagnostic tests for bird flu

WHO calls enhanced preparedness for SARS and avian influenza

Growing global threat from avian influenza

Bird flu has jumped species barrier to cats

Major trends in AIDS research that the different research teams throughout the world are pursuing

Call for increased political and financial commitment to the development of preventive and therapeutic AIDS vaccines

African-Americans and Asians more pessimistic about the health systems ability to cope with a bioterrorist event

Emergence of drug resistant influenza viruses more common than previously thought

U.S. plan for influenza pandemic response

Inevitable that H5N1 avian influenza viruses will be detected in pigs

Hong Kong suspends bird and poultry imports from Malaysia, after deadly H5 avian influenza was found

Embryonic stem cell therapy show benefits in rebuilding damaged heart

2004 AIDS Vaccine Conference has announced it's forthcoming programme

Contract for the production of an investigational vaccine based on an H9N2 strain of avian influenza virus

Three recent deaths in Viet Nam were caused by infection with avian influenza

$5 million to assist Pacific island nations develop and implement country-specific HIV/AIDS prevention

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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