Bird Flu
Bird flu is a viral respiratory disease, mainly of birds including poultry and waterbirds but also transmissible to humans. Symptoms in humans include fever, sore throat, cough, headache, and muscle aches. Severe infections can result in life-threatening complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory illness.
New bird flu vaccine may give long-term defenseA new vaccine under development may provide protection against highly pathogenic bird flu and its evolving forms, according to researchers at Purdue University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who discovered the new preventative drug and have tested it in mice.
VereFlu portable lab-on-chip for detection of bird fluFollowing the success of the evaluation trials conducted at the prestigious National University Hospital of Singapore, Veredus Laboratories and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) announced the commercial availability of VereFlu, a portable lab-on-chip application for rapid detection of all major influenza types at the point of need.
Avian influenza in West Bengal, no humans affectedIndian Department of Animal Husbandry has notified fresh poultry deaths in Jiaganj and Raghunathganj-II blocks of Murshidabad district of West Bengal on 9th_March, 2008 which has been confirmed as H5 infection of bird flu.
Bird flu resurfaced in West Bengal, IndiaBird flu virus has resurfaced in two blocks of West Bengal's Murshidabad district, prompting authorities to take up culling operations. Culling starts in Raghunathganj-ii and Jiaganj blocks of Murshidabad districts.
Bird flu awareness campaigns should continue in IndiaThe recent, worst-ever outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Indian state of West Bengal seems to have been brought under control by the swift and comprehensive measures taken by the country's authorities, though continued vigilance was crucial, the United Nations agricultural agency said.
Influenza vaccination for children 6 months through 18 years of ageA panel of immunization experts voted to expand the recommended ages for annual influenza vaccination of children to include all children from 6 months through 18 years of age. The previous recommendation was for vaccination of children from 6 months to 59 months of age.
Bird flu could strike again in India, warns FAOIndia is to be commended for its successful efforts to control the recent worst-ever outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the state of West Bengal, FAO said today. The agency warned, however, that intensive surveillance should continue in high-risk areas as the possibility of new outbreaks remains high.
Gastric acid protects against foodborne diseasesA new study suggests that low levels of gastric acid in the stomach can increase one's likelihood of getting a foodborne infection. The researchers from Australia report their findings in the February 2008 issue of the journal Infection and Immunity.
US' 49 states gripped with influenzaAfter relatively low levels of influenza activity in the early part of the season, since January influenza activity has been picking up in the US. This week 44 states are reporting widespread influenza activity. This is up from 31 states reporting widespread activity last week. Five states are reporting regional activity, making 49 states overall.
Update on Avian Influenza in West Bengal, IndiaNo suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected in any of the affected districts in West Bengal, in India. Number of affected districts (14 districts) remains the same. In these districts, 48 blocks and five municipalities are involved.
Researchers cracking the code of bird flu time bombResearchers at Griffith University Institute for Glycomics, Queensland led by Professor Mark von Itzstein have developed a technique to 'crack-the-code' of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. It will enable influenza virus specialists and drug researchers to interrogate one of the virus' key surface proteins without risk of infection.
Bird flu samples negative from Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAs per the latest report received from the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, samples of poultry birds collected from Bareilly and Shahjahanpur of Uttar Pradesh, have tested negative. The samples were from the part of the consignment transported from West Bengal.
New bird flu outbreak at Karachi poultry farm, PakistanA new outbreak of the avian flu in Pakistan reported by the Pakistani authorities, and authorities took steps to cull a large number of birds at a poultry farm in the Karachi city, where 5,500 chickens died of the deadly disease earlier this week.
3 m birds culled in West Bengal, IndiaNearly 3 million birds culled in most of the 13 Bird flu affected districts of West Bengal, India. Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rahaman told PTI in Berhampore that 27 lakh birds had been culled and the remaining one lakh would be destroyed by today.
European influenza viruses resistant to tamiflu, oseltamivirPreliminary surveillance into antiviral drug susceptibility against seasonal flu viruses currently circulating in Europe has revealed that some of the A (H1N1) viruses (13%) have shown resistance to the antiviral drug, oseltamivir (Tamiflu). These viruses however, remain sensitive to the antivirals, zanamivir and amantadine.
Bird flu in new areas in West Bengal, IndiaBird flu samples collected from the Panchla block of Howrah district, Suri-I, Mayureswar-I and Nanoor blocks of Birbhum district and Kalyani municipality of Nadia district have tested positive for Avian Influenza virus.
Culling of birds in West Bengal, India - updateUnseasonal rains hampered culling in Indian state West Bengal with the operations yet to begin in Purulia and Howrah districts where outbreak of avian influenza has been confirmed. Culling operations delayed by a few hours in Purulia due to bad weather.
Delayed action led to bird flu spread in IndiaThe Indian Central Govt. hinted that the West Bengal government's delayed action contributed to the rapid spread of bird flu even as it allayed fears about the disease spreading to humans in the state.
Bird flu update - over 2.4 lakh birds culled in West Bengal, IndiaAs per latest information received, a total mortality of 1,13,796 poultry birds has been reported from Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Burdwan & Bankura districts of West Bengal.
Bird flu situation improving, says Indian ministerBird flu situation in West Bengal, eastern India, had not worsened, instead it is showing signs of "overall improvement", said state Animal Resources Minister Anisur Rehman, "the state had set a target to cull 4,00,000 chickens within seven days of which 60,000-70,000 had already been culled".
Over 85,632 birds culled, bird flu in east IndiaAs per latest information received, a total mortality of 98,254 poultry birds has been reported from Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, South 24 parganas, Burdwan and Bankura districts of West Bengal.
Thousands birds culled in West Bengal, IndiaAs per latest information received, a total mortality of 85006 poultry birds has been reported from Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal.
Bird flu spreading in West Bengal, IndiaAs per latest information received, a total mortality of 61,075 poultry birds has been reported from Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal, India.
Bird flu alert in West Bengal, IndiaDeath of poultry birds has been reported from parts of Birbhum and South Dinajpur districts of West Bengal, India.
Three more H5N1 bird flu deaths in EgyptTwo new deaths from H5N1 avian influenza in women from the Nile Delta reported by Egyptian officials, and a third death involving a 50-year-old woman whose infection was previously confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
8 human cases of H5N1 avian influenza in Peshawar, PakistanThe Ministry of Health in Pakistan has informed WHO of 8 suspected human cases of H5N1 avian influenza infection in the Peshawar area of the country. These cases were detected following a series of culling operations in response to outbreaks of H5N1 in poultry. One of the cases has now recovered and a further two suspected cases have since died.
India to share experience in controlling avian fluThe Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that India is committed to share the experience of control and containment of the outbreak of influenza in poultry. He was speaking at a three-day International Ministerial Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, here.