Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

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

H5 and N1 avian influenza found in Pennsylvania wild bird samples

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior today announced that the presence of the H5 and N1 avian influenza subtypes in samples from wild mallard ducks in Pennsylvania.

5 Sep 2006

Bird flu flys into Egypt again

Four new cases of bird flu have been detected in poultry in Egypt, after a two month infection free period.

5 Sep 2006

Record morbidity in Africa from Borreliosis, or relapsing fever

Borreliosis, or relapsing fever, is a disease provoked by bacteria of the genus Borrelia. Two of these are encountered in tropical Africa: Borrelia crocidurae in the Sahara and Sahel, Borrelia duttoni in East Africa.

4 Sep 2006

1918 Spanish flu treatment may also be effective for current avian influenza patients

USU faculty have discovered that a treatment for the Spanish Influenza pandemic may also be effective for current Avian Influenza patients.

4 Sep 2006

Sanofi pasteur begins shipping influenza vaccine

Sanofi pasteur, the vaccines business of the sanofi-aventis Group, began shipping influenza vaccine (Fluzone, Influenza Virus Vaccine) to the U.S. market for the 2006-2007 season.

4 Sep 2006

Preventive home visits postpone mortality: a controlled trial with time-limited results

Old people are less likely to die if they receive regular home visits from health professionals.

31 Aug 2006

FluChip can spot bird flu in under 12 hours

Scientists in the United States have developed a new technology that reduces the time it takes to achieve a detailed diagnosis of avian flu, from one week or more down to less than 12 hours.

30 Aug 2006

New microchip enables quick diagnosis of flu strains

Scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed a microchip-based test that may allow more labs to diagnose influenza infections and learn more about the viruses causing illness.

30 Aug 2006

Case definitions for human infections with influenza A (H5N1) virus

Prompt and accurate reporting of H5N1 influenza cases to WHO is the cornerstone for monitoring both the global evolution of this disease and the corresponding risk that a pandemic virus might emerge.

30 Aug 2006

13,000 plus wild birds in Alaska tested, no bird flu found

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has announced that their departments and the State of Alaska have tested more than 13,000 wild migratory birds for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in Alaska.

30 Aug 2006

Chinese scientists come up with safe and effective bird flu vaccine

According to official reports a bird flu vaccine for humans developed by Chinese researchers has proven to be both safe and effective.

29 Aug 2006

Bird flu database to be established

A global initiative has been launched by some of the world's top scientists and health officials to encourage more openness when it comes to sharing data on bird flu.

28 Aug 2006

Procedures for obtaining release of H5N1 sequences to the public domain

Information on the gene sequences of H5N1 viruses is important for vaccine development, the preparation of reagents used for diagnostic purposes, and monitoring for drug-resistant strains.

24 Aug 2006

Bird flu detection information on wild birds now available online

The public can now view a Web site showing current information about wild bird sampling for early detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the United States.

24 Aug 2006

So far no bird flu cluster in Indonesian village

According to health officials in Indonesia no evidence has been found of human-to-human transmission of H5N1 bird flu in the remote villages of West Java which have witnessed the latest outbreak of the deadly virus.

24 Aug 2006

Indonesia plays down bird flu cluster as family takes child home with suspected bird flu

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has confirmed the country’s 59th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus in a 35-year-old woman from the district of Cikelet, in West Java Province.

21 Aug 2006

Asia needs cheap and affordable drugs to fight disease

The World Health Organisation (WHO) regional conference on August 22-25 will meet to discuss health strategies, including the fight against bird flu.

21 Aug 2006

Chink in the armour of H5N1 bird flu virus

British scientists say they have made a breakthrough in their development of a bird flu drug that could treat humans in the event of an outbreak.

20 Aug 2006

H5 and N1 avian influenza found in two samples from wild mute swans in Michigan

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior has announced that routine surveillance has indicated the presence of H5 and N1 avian influenza subtypes in samples from two wild mute swans in Michigan.

17 Aug 2006