Recent News

By Region: South Asia

Avian influenza surveillance reveals presence of low pathogenic avian influenza viruses in poultry

(7th Space) Introduction: More than 70 outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 have been reported in poultry in the western and north-eastern parts of India. Therefore, in view of the recent HPAI H5N1 outbreaks in poultry, active AI surveillance encompassing wild, resident, migratory birds and poultry was undertaken during 2009-2011 in the Read More »

August 7, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, North America, South Asia, Public Health, and Research
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UN urges for global moratorium on research using deadly livestock virus

(UN News Centre) The United Nations food agency is calling on countries to comply with a global moratorium on research using the live rinderpest virus to ensure that this deadly livestock disease remains eradicated. “While rinderpest has been successfully eradicated, there may be some virus material that would be useful for research or vaccine development,” Read More »

July 27, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, South Asia, Public Health, and Research
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Kelantan holds exercise to contain bird flu

(New Straits Times) The exercise in Kampung Jintan here yesterday involved 80 officers from the state Veterinary and Health Departments. Kelantan Veterinary director Datuk Dr Mohd Zairi Serian said they decided to conduct the exercise in case the disease hit the state. “We have to conduct the exercise from now on so that we can Read More »

July 26, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, South Asia, Countermeasures, Public Health, and Research
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How tea can help fight terror attack

(Times of India) LONDON: A cup of tea could be a secret weapon to fight poison used in terror attacks if UK scientists are to be believed. Academics at Cardiff University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences discovered a chemical, polyphenol found in tea can deactivate ricin — a highly-toxic ingredient used in fatal terrorist Read More »

July 26, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Europe, North America, South Asia, and Research
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Vaccine Home Run

(Forbes) A promising new life-saving vaccine to fight against a known killer cleared an important hurdle, with drugmaker Sanofi announcing today that its vaccine to prevent dengue virus proved effective in a clinical trial in more than 4000 children in Thailand. Dengue is a disease that most Americans have never heard of and will likely Read More »