Recent News

By Category: Agents & Toxins

China confirms H5N1, goat plague cases

(Global Times) The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) on Tuesday confirmed outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu in poultry in southwest China’s Guizhou Province and goat plague in northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. On Feb. 13, a farm in a village of Xixiu District in Anshun City of Guizhou reported 3,629 chickens had showed symptoms of suspected Read More »

February 18, 2014
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Agents & Toxins, Agriculture, and International
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Mechanism of dengue virus entry into cells

(Science Codex) Dengue fever, an infectious tropical disease caused by a mosquito-borne virus, afflicts millions of people each year, causing fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and a characteristic skin rash. In some people the disease progresses to a severe, often fatal, form known as dengue hemorrhagic fever. Despite its heavy toll, the prevention and Read More »

February 17, 2014
| Filed under Agents & Toxins, Public Health, and Research
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Stopping Microbes Not Missiles: U.S. Plans For Next Global Threat

(WEMU) Spot the next plague before it arrives. Predict the next swine flu outbreak before it makes headlines. Even detect a biological weapon before it’s launched. These are the goals of an ambitious initiative, launched Thursday, to build a worldwide surveillance system for infectious diseases.

February 16, 2014
| Filed under Agents & Toxins, Biosafety, and Countermeasures
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An opportunity to bug biosecurity

(Scoop News) They’re creepy, they’re crawly, and they’re on display in the Environment Southland marquee at Southern Field Days. Following on from biocontrol success in several areas, a raft of biocontrol agents including Dung beetles, Broom galls mites, Green thistle beetles; Gorse soft shoot moths and Ragwort plume moths will make an appearance in the Read More »

February 14, 2014
| Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, and Biosafety
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Bioterrorism Fear Led Scientists to Withhold Botulinum Toxin Info

(Nextgov) Researchers have uncovered a new breed of Botulinum toxin, however, they are withholding certain information about the neurotoxin out of concern it could be misused by individuals seeking to develop a biological weapon, National Public Radio reported on Wednesday. Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum, which is present in soil all Read More »