January 2 Flu Update
More lab confirmation of negative tests of dead birds in Malawi.Reuters runs a chronology of major bird flu developments.
Asia remains the bird flu battleground.
A microbiologist in Turkey has some ideas on flu, including that it causes pneumonia. Either bad translation or some novel theories here.
Ozbal pointed out humans need exposure to at least a couple of pandemic years, which last 11 or 30 years, to infect each other. He continued, "A person infected by bird flu will become ill, but it is not possible for one infected person to infect another."
Health Ministry Bird Flu Scientific Assembly Professor Ismail Balik also declared the infection of bird flu among humans is impossible as long as the necessary precautions are taken.
Despite negative lab results, citizens in Turkish town remain nervous.
Bird flu remains active in five Vietnemese areas...
...though they are seen to be waning.
Jakarta Post on the suspected flu death we reported yesterday.
La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology reports making progress on bird flu research.
"We are interested in seeing whether there are different components or pieces of the flu virus that are recognized by the immune system," he said, explaining this would mean the immune system had seen those pieces previously in earlier flu exposures. "Specifically, we're looking to see if there are proteins or genes that are common to many flu viruses that are targets of the immune response. If so, it may be possible to develop a vaccine with greater cross protection because it would recognize elements common to all flu viruses."
There's a new bird flu outbreak among birds in China (Sichuan.)
WHO Bulletin does interview with Margaret Chan--on communicating the risks of the flu.In Ontario, they are considering giving the Premier emergency powers in a pandemic.
CIDRAP on the news from Turkey that cases were negative.
In New Zealand, a report says the public can see Tamiflu doses for some...but not for politicians.
Sanofi Pasteur, spurred on by the urgency of the looming pandemic, has been taking orders from its bird flu vaccine, which it concedes would have been more carefully vetted under other circumstances.
Effect Measure on something which was in the news a few days ago--that New Zealand has plans to use an island to quarantine flu victims.
Recombinomics joins in with those who say that the negative tests in Turkey may not be the final word.
Recombinomics on reports of three sick office workers in Indonesia.
posted by Orange @ 9:55 PM
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