Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

(CIDRAP News) – The US government recently agreed to collaborate with France's Institut Pasteur (IP) on efforts to increase the world's ability to detect influenza viruses that could lead to a human flu pandemic.

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) says H5N1 avian influenza has infected birds in 14 more countries since the beginning of this month, and recent genetic changes in the virus may have something to do with its rapid spread in birds.

(CIDRAP News) – Two human cases of H5N1 avian flu have been confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in recent days—one each in Iraq and Indonesia—and dozens of sick people in several countries are being tested.

In addition, the WHO said today that studies of the human H5N1 cases in Turkey have produced no clear evidence that the virus has changed its behavior in humans or improved its ability to spread from person to person.

(CIDRAP News) – The rapidly growing list of countries facing H5N1 avian influenza in birds has swelled to include Egypt, France, and India in the past 4 days, and the virus is suspected in Bosnia as well.

(CIDRAP News) – Iran, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia have joined the list of countries with H5N1 avian influenza in wild birds in the past few days, and the virus may have spread to as many as nine states in Nigeria, according to recent reports.

(CIDRAP News) – A large majority of about 300 business officials at a conference in Minneapolis believe that an influenza pandemic would significantly affect their business, but only 18% of the companies have completed a preparedness plan, according to a poll taken yesterday.

(CIDRAP News) – Speakers at a national conference in Minneapolis today sought to impress business leaders with the potentially disastrous effects of an influenza pandemic without scaring them into thinking that preparing for one is futile.

(CIDRAP News) – As the H5N1 virus spreads, so does the toll of human illness cases and deaths known or suspected to be due to the deadly influenza.

(CIDRAP News) – The H5N1 avian flu virus is continuing its relentless spread from bird to bird, with individual deaths in some countries marking new territory for the virus and massive die-offs and culling showing how quickly it can become entrenched.

The pathogen has been reported in wild birds in five new countries—Azerbaijan, Nigeria, Greece, Italy, and Bulgaria—in the past week. In addition, an H5 virus has been reported in Slovenia.

(CIDRAP News) – China and Indonesia reported fatal human cases of H5N1 avian influenza today, while Azerbaijan joined the list of countries with outbreaks in wild birds.

In addition, there were reports that the virus was spreading to more farms in Nigeria, which was revealed this week as the first African country hit by the pathogen.