US HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced that the department has provided another $896.7 million to the states, territories, and four metropolitan areas to improve and sustain their ability to respond to public health emergencies.
Acambis plc (Acambis) (LSE: ACM), a leading vaccines company, announces that it has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial of its universal influenza vaccine candidate, ACAM-FLU-A.
A universal influenza vaccine that has been pioneered by researchers from VIB and Ghent University is being tested for the first time on humans by the British-American biotech company Acambis.
The key to control any pandemic is early identification and rapid response. Although considerable progress has been made in global infectious disease surveillance, few scientists are optimistic that an effective early warning system is in place, and many gaps remain, according to researchers at Columbia University?s Mailman School of Public Health.
The European Commission has been informed by the French and the Austrian authorities of new suspected cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in their territories. Germany has also confirmed the occurrence of disease in Thuringia.
Three children have passed away from a combination of infections – influenza A infections and secondary bacterial infection this week in Perth, Australia.
The deadly bird avian flu virus H5N1 has spread to German poultry. A domestic goose died of the bird flu virus H5N1 in the village of Wickersdorf, Germany.
Three swans found dead in eastern France due to H5N1 bird flu virus infection, confirmed by French agriculture ministry. Tests were found positive on swans for deadly avian flu virus.
The effort to find preserved samples of the 1918 influenza virus has been a pursuit of both historical and medical importance. The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most devastating single disease outbreak in modern history, and examining the virus that caused it may help prepare for, and possibly prevent, future pandemics.
Despite improvement in the global response to the deadly H5N1 avian influenza over the past few years, the virus remains entrenched in several countries and will continue to spread, the United Nations warned.