Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed today that a 31-year-old man in China's Guangdong province has avian influenza. And Indonesia's Health Ministry, citing local tests, said today that a 14-year-old boy from Jakarta died of the disease, according to news services.

(CIDRAP News) – When avian flu struck a poultry flock in Denmark last month, the owners waited 2 weeks to notify authorities, thereby increasing the risk of human infection, according to a report in the Jun 15 Eurosurveillance Weekly.

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) today reported Indonesia's 50th human case of H5N1 avian influenza, while Chinese authorities said further tests have confirmed a case reported yesterday in a man from Guangdong province.

(CIDRAP News) – A 31-year-old Chinese man from Guangdong province near Hong Kong has tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza, according to a Xinhua news report today.

(CIDRAP News) – Scientists in Hong Kong have reported new experimental evidence that avian influenza infections in human cells are more likely to trigger a destructive immune-system overreaction, or "cytokine storm," than human flu viruses are.

(CIDRAP News) – An avian influenza vaccine made through reverse genetics produced an immune response not only to the target H5N1 virus strain but to two other H5N1 strains in a study in ferrets, according to a report published by the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

(CIDRAP News) – Australian officials who coordinated an exercise Jun 7 and 8 on pandemic influenza response among Asia-Pacific nations called the drill a success, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) story today.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday released updated guidelines that provide more details on when to test a patient for the H5N1 avian influenza virus, as well as substantially more specifics on laboratory testing.

(CIDRAP News) – Vical Inc., San Diego, announced today it would receive early access to $2.6 million in government funds to help it complete preclinical development of a DNA vaccine for avian influenza.

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) today confirmed that a 15-year-old Indonesian boy who died May 30 had H5N1 avian influenza, but the agency said four nurses who had suspicious symptoms after caring for avian flu patients were not infected.