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By Category: International

Ebola and Marburg Hemorrhagic Fevers: Neglected Tropical Diseases?

(PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases) Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) and Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) are rare viral diseases, endemic to central Africa. The overall burden of EHF and MHF is small in comparison to the more common protozoan, helminth, and bacterial diseases typically referred to as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). However, EHF and MHF outbreaks typically Read More »

June 29, 2012
| Filed under Africa, North America, Agents & Toxins, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Public Health
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Influenza: Five questions on H5N1

(Nature) The biology of the H5N1 avian influenza virus is rife with paradoxes. The virus is widespread, but hard to detect. It kills more than half of the people known to be infected, but thousands of those exposed have no apparent problems. It seems to be just a few mutations away from gaining the ability Read More »

June 27, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, International, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
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President Khama Visits Namibia

(AllAfrica.com) Windhoek — President Hifikepunye Pohamba yesterday said the planned relocation of De Beers Diamond Trading Company from London to Gaborone is a step in the right direction, since this will add more value in skills development and technology transfer to Southern Africa. Pohamba said this yesterday at the beginning of the three-day state visit Read More »

June 27, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Agriculture, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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Freeze on mutant-flu research set to thaw

(Nature) If you thought that the controversy was over, think again. Last week’s publication of the second of two papers describing how to make mammalian-transmissible forms of the H5N1 avian influenza virus merely closes one chapter of a smouldering debate about the risks of the research. That debate seems certain to reignite in the coming Read More »

June 27, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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UN food agency calls for collective action to combat foot-and-mouth disease

(UN News Centre) Collective action and solid commitments to a global strategy are necessary to control foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the United Nations food agency stressed today. “Recent FMD outbreaks around the globe demonstrate that animal diseases have no boundaries, can have a devastating impact and require a global response,” the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Read More »