Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Researchers find possible biomarker for severe H7N9 infection

Researchers who analyzed the blood of Chinese patients infected with H7N9 influenza found markedly elevated levels of angiotensin 2, which be a severity marker for the disease. The team from China reported its findings yesterday in Nature Communications.

China detects first known human H5N6 infection

Chinese health officials have confirmed what appears to be the first known H5N6 avian influenza infection in a human, a farmer from Sichuan province who had severe pneumonia and died, according to a post yesterday from ProMED-mail, the online reporting system of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.

H7N9 sickens one, kills one in China

China's Guangdong province reported another H7N9 influenza infection, along with a death in a previously reported case, according to a May 2 health department statement translated and posted by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board.

The patient is a 53-year-old woman from Shenzhen who suffers from chronic bronchitis. She is hospitalized in stable condition.

Study: Flu symptoms less severe in vaccinated elderly people

Health officials have been heard to say that even though influenza vaccine doesn't provide complete protection against flu, it may reduce symptoms if you do get sick. Now a study out of Wisconsin offers some evidence in support of that view.

China reports new H7N9 case

Health officials in Anhui province reported a new H7N9 avian flu case in a 55-year-old man, according to a health department notice translated and posted yesterday by FluTrackers, an infectious disease message board.

US flu season winding down with influenza B wave

Most flu markers in the United States declined last week, but the Northeast is still in the grip of a wave of influenza B activity, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest FluView report.

Oman camel MERS study supports respiratory spread to humans

Testing of nasal and eye swabs of camels in Oman found 5 of 76 samples positive for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and genetic sequencing showed that they were closely related to human viruses in the region

North Korea reports another H5N1 outbreak

North Korea has experienced another H5N1 avian flu outbreak in domestic poultry, according to a report yesterday from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Of a village flock of 501 birds, 136 were killed by the virus, the report said, and the remaining 365 were culled to prevent disease spread. The outbreak, which started on Apr 10, is in North Hwanghae province in the southern part of the country.

China reports 3 more H7N9 cases, 1 more death

The number of patients sickened by H7N9 influenza in China grew by three over the past 3 days, according to reports from three different provinces.

One case is in a 35-year-old woman from Jiangsu province who is hospitalized in critical condition, according to an Apr 19 health department statement translated and posted by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board.

H5N1 kills 46,000 chickens in North Korea's capital

H5N1 avian flu has struck two chicken factory farms in North Korea's capital of Pyongyang, killing more than 46,000 birds, according to a report posted yesterday by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

In the first outbreak, all 46,217 birds died of the disease in three holding pens for layer hens on a farm at the Hadang chicken factory. The outbreak began Mar 21. Samples from the birds tested positive on Mar 26.