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By Category: Research

Study of deadly flu sparks debate amidst fears of new pandemic

(Ars Technica) The 2009 flu pandemic, although not especially deadly, revealed just how quickly a new influenza virus could elude surveillance and spread internationally. It also left health experts eying the disease that many fear could cause the next pandemic: H5N1, the avian flu. According to World Health Organization standards, that virus is phenomenally deadly,  Read More »

Scientists call for curbs on own research on deadly bird flu virus

(The Guardian) Professor Osterholm said he considered the new virus a worse threat than the return of smallpox. “I wouldn’t like to see smallpox get out of the lab, but if it did it wouldn’t overly concern me,” Osterholm said. “We could contain it. The same thing is true with Sars. But influenza would scare  Read More »

Canada says any research on lab-made bird flu must be done in top biosecurity

(Global Winnipeg) TORONTO – The Public Health Agency says any research on enhanced H5N1 bird flu viruses in Canada must be done in laboratories with the top level of biosecurity. The agency says any Canadian researchers who would want to work with the viruses in this …

Emotion runs high at H5N1 debate

(Nature.com) Scientific debates erupted about the mortality rate of H5N1, generally known only to transmit from birds to humans. Peter Palese, a virologist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York says that underestimates of the prevalence in the general population have led to an exaggeration as to how deadly H5N1 is.

Live debate airs major divisions in H5N1 research battle

(CIDRAP) In other exchanges about how dangerous the mutant H5N1 viruses might be, Osterholm contrasted H5N1 with smallpox. “I would not like to see smallpox get out of a BSL-4 [biosafety level 4, the highest level] lab, but it wouldn’t be overly concerning”; in …

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