Avian Bird Flu News

 

1918 Flu Killed Millions Because Of Three Genes

A team of scientists from the US and Japan have identified a combination of three genes in the flu virus that was most likely responsible for making the 1918 flu strain so deadly that it caused the most devastating outbreak of infectious disease ever known to humankind, leaving tens of millions dead in its

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WHO Update Of Avian Influenza Situation In Cambodia

The Ministry of Health of Cambodia has announced a new confirmed case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The 19-year-old male, from Kandal Province, developed symptoms on 28 November and initially sought medical attention at a local health centre on 30 November. The presence of the H5N1 virus was confirmed by the National Influenza Centre, the Institut Pasteur in Cambodia, on 11

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Vaccines Against Avian Flu - AmVac AG Cooperates With National Health Research Institutes In Taiwan

Swiss AmVac AG establishes comprehensive collaboration with the National Health Research Institutes in Taiwan to combat H5N1. H5N1/Influenza A is a flu virus known colloquially as "avian flu". "Avian flu" first occurred in Asia, and was transmitted to humans in a number of cases.AmVac's CSO Prof. Michel Klein attended the opening ceremony of the pilot plant Vaccine Centre of the National Health Research Institutes in

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USD 12.5 M Funding For The Development Of Intercell's Vaccine Patch System For Pandemic Influenza From U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services

Intercell AG (VSE: ICLL) announced the execution of a contract modification with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The agreement commits additional funding of USD 12.5 m for Intercell's Pandemic Influenza program. Intercell is developing a Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Patch System that includes an immunostimulant patch administered in conjunction with an injected Pandemic Influenza vaccine (manufactured by Solvay Biologicals,

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Vical Pandemic Influenza Vaccines Achieve T-Cell Responses And Cross-Clade Reactivity In Humans

Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) announced that the company's Vaxfectin(R)-formulated H5N1 pandemic influenza DNA vaccines induced T-cell responses against a matching strain of influenza virus and demonstrated cross-clade antibody responses against a different strain in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The company previously reported that the vaccines had achieved potentially protective levels of antibody responses in up to 67% of evaluable subjects in the trial's higher dose

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Over 80,000 Chickens To Be Killed In Hong Kong After Bird Flu Found

Authorities in Hong Kong say over 80,000 chickens will be culled after a poultry farm was found to have chickens infected with avian influenza (bird flu). The last time bird flu was detected in Hong Kong was in 2002. About 60 dead chickens were found in the farm, according to York Chow, Health Secretary. Tests have confirmed the birds died from the H5N1 virus - the most virulent strain. He added that all chickens within a 2-mile (3-km) radius of the infected farm will be

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Estimating Antiviral Effectiveness Against Pandemic Influenza Using Household Data

Antiviral drugs play a central role in current plans for managing an influenza pandemic. However, their ability to reduce symptoms and infectivity in cases, and to reduce susceptibility of individuals given antivirals prophylactically must be confirmed for the pandemic virus strain. We present a technique for estimating antiviral effectiveness from data that can gathered easily from infected households during the early stages of an influenza

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Effects Of Influenza A Virus Infection On Migrating Mallard Ducks

Mallard ducks are a main reservoir for low-pathogenic avian influenza virus in nature, yet surprisingly little is known about how infection affects these birds. We analyzed 10,000 samples from migratory mallards in Sweden for presence of influenza virus and were able to demonstrate that infected birds were leaner than uninfected birds, and that weight loss was related to the amount of virus shed in their

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Armed Forces Institute Of Pathology To Conduct NanoViricides Animal Studies Against Bird Flu

NanoViricides, Inc. (OTC BB: NNVC.OB) (the "Company"), announced today that they have executed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP). This joint R&D effort will enable AFIP scientists to test the effectiveness of several NanoViricides, Inc. anti-viral nanomedicines against deadly bird flu viruses (H5N1) at their

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Fate And Effects Of The Drug Tamiflu In The Environment

The research council FORMAS in Sweden has granted 574 000 euro to a new research project that will study the environmental fate and effects of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu on the development on influenza resistance. Tamiflu is being stockpiled all over the world for use in fighting the next influenza pandemic. However, there are growing signs that influenza viruses may develop resistance to this vital pharmaceutical, because it is routinely prescribed for seasonal

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Tamiflu In The Environment

The research council FORMAS, Sweden, has granted 5.9 million SEK to a new research project that will study the environmental fate and effects of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu on the development on influenza resistance. Tamiflu is being stockpiled all over the world for use in fighting the next influenza pandemic. However, there are growing signs that influenza viruses may develop resistance to this vital pharmaceutical, because it is routinely prescribed for seasonal

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Tamiflu In The Environment

The research council FORMAS, Sweden, has granted 5.9 million SEK to a new research project that will study the environmental fate and effects of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu on the development on influenza resistance. Tamiflu is being stockpiled all over the world for use in fighting the next influenza pandemic. However, there are growing signs that influenza viruses may develop resistance to this vital pharmaceutical, because it is routinely prescribed for seasonal

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News From The Journals Of The American Society For Microbiology

New Vaccines Protect Against Asian H5N1 Influenza A Viruses in Domestic Ducks Scientists are looking at a novel strategy to prevent the spread of pandemic avian influenza. They have developed a vaccine that protects ducks, a known natural reservoir for the

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New Centre To Fight Infectious Diseases - China-Australia Centre For Phenomics Research

The fight against infectious diseases such as Avian influenza will receive a boost today with the official opening of the China-Australia Centre for Phenomics Research at The Australian National University. The centre will be opened by ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Chubb and Professor Lu Yongxiang, President of the Chinese Academy of

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Minister For Health Dawn Primarolo To Give Evidence To Lords Science Committee On Risks Of Flu Pandemic, UK

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, which in December 2005 published a report on the risks of pandemic influenza, will next week hold a follow-up evidence session with Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State for Public Health. The Committee's original report took the view that the first line of defence against a potential human influenza pandemic was effective surveillance and control of avian influenza, in particular in south east

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Cleveland Clinic Recognizes New Strategies For Creating Vaccines For Avian Flu As A Top Ten Medical Innovation For 2009

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that its strategy for treating avian flu through genetically-engineered virus-like particles (VLPs) was ranked as a Top Ten Innovation at Cleveland Clinic 6th Annual Medical Innovation Summit. Novavax,

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A New Way To Predict Outbreaks: Replikin Peptide Concentration In H5N1 Influenza Virus Genome As A Marker For Lethal Outbreaks

WHO and CDC have stated that the predictive accuracy of their annual formulations for human influenza vaccines is "suboptimal" -- often correct less than 50% of the time, especially for seniors. Perhaps in part because we are not yet accurate in our predictions of upcoming influenza strains, approximately 36,000 people die each year of flu in the United States

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A New Way To Predict Outbreaks: Replikin Peptide Concentration In H5N1 Influenza Virus Genome As A Marker For Lethal Outbreaks

WHO and CDC have stated that the predictive accuracy of their annual formulations for human influenza vaccines is "suboptimal" -- often correct less than 50% of the time, especially for seniors. Perhaps in part because we are not yet accurate in our predictions of upcoming influenza strains, approximately 36,000 people die each year of flu in the United States

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Record-level US Support For Bird Flu Program - Indonesia, Viet Nam And Egypt Among Major Beneficiary Countries

The United States will provide an additional $44.4 million in support of FAO's avian influenza control and prevention campaign, FAO announced today. With the new funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), US support to the FAO avian influenza program has reached a total of $112.8 million. The United States remains the largest donor to FAO's bird flu control activities implemented in more than 96

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New Warning Over Bird Flu Vaccine - University Of Leicester Professor Calls For Vaccination Programme

A team of international researchers has written to the journal, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, calling for people to be vaccinated now against bird flu in order to mitigate the effects of global pandemic. Professor Karl Nicholson, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Leicester and Consultant Physician at the Leicester Royal Infirmary is among those who has written the

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Avian Flu Virus Freed From Immune Recognition By Protein 'Tubules'

A protein found in the virulent avian influenza virus strain called H5N1 forms tiny tubules in which it "hides" the pieces of double-stranded RNA formed during viral infection, which otherwise would prompt an antiviral immune response from infected cells, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in an online report in the journal

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Vaccinations Against Bird Flu Should Happen Now, Say Experts

People should be vaccinated now against bird flu rather than waiting for a global pandemic to erupt, an international panel of experts - including a leading British influenza specialist - say in a new report. 1 The influenza researchers say the World Health Organisation (WHO) and national governments should give "urgent consideration" to the idea of priming people in advance of bird flu with a preparatory

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Rockeby Biomed Awarded 750,000 Dolars Of Grants By Singapore Government For Influenza And Bird Flu Research, Singapore

Australia-listed, Singapore-based healthcare group, Rockeby biomed Ltd (ASX:RBY), today announced that it has been awarded two grants by the Singaporean Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING Singapore) under the Technology Enterprise Commercialisation Scheme

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Genetic Evidence For Avian Influenza Movement From Asia To North America Via Wild Birds

Wild migratory birds may be more important carriers of avian influenza viruses from continent to continent than previously thought, according to new scientific research that has important implications for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus surveillance in North America. As part of a multi-pronged research effort to understand the role of migratory birds in the transfer of avian influenza viruses between Asia and North America, scientists with the

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Conference Focuses On Avian Flu Threat

As the first globally co-ordinated plan for the planet's gravest health threats is hatched by government ministers from around the world this weekend, a new report sets out a 10-point plan for this new, globalised approach to infectious diseases such as avian

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