Keiji Fukuda
Dr Keiji Fukuda is Special Representative for Antimicrobial Resistance in the office of the WHO Director-General. From September 2010 until November 2015, Keiji Fukuda served as the Assistant Director-General for Health Security. (Source: WHO Avian Influenza)
Source: WHO Avian Influenza - November 11, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: avian influenza [subject], bird flu, avian flu, fowl plague, influenza in birds, avian bird flu, h5n1, epidemiology [subject], surveillance, influenza [subject], flu, seasonal influenza, pandemic influenza, influenza [subject], flu, seasonal influenza, pa Source Type: news
Africa: U.S. Backs FAO Efforts to Combat Global Animal Disease Threats With U.S.$87 Million
[FAO] Rome -Ebola, MERS-CoV and H5N1 avian influenza among diseases with human health implications and pandemic potential being targeted in Africa, Middle East and Asia (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - October 21, 2015 Category: African Health Source Type: news
Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China
On 14 October 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 2 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus. The cases are a 55-year-old female and a 53-year-old male, with onset dates of 18 September and 21 September, respectively. Both cases had exposure to poultry and live poultry markets. No epidemiological link between the cases was reported. The cases were reported from 2 municipalities (Huzhou city and Jinhua city) in Zhejiang province. (Source: WHO Avian Influenza)
Source: WHO Avian Influenza - October 19, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: avian influenza [subject], bird flu, avian flu, fowl plague, influenza in birds, avian bird flu, h5n1, avian influenza [subject], bird flu, avian flu, fowl plague, influenza in birds, avian bird flu, h5n1, influenza [subject], flu, seasonal influenza, pan Source Type: news
Urban Fringes Are Hot Spots for Emergence of Infectious Disease, Vietnam Bird Flu Study Confirms
The new East-West Center study finds that peri-urban areas where genetic, environmental and social factors converge were at significantly higher risk for outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Vietnam A new study led by East-West Center researchers and funded by the National Science Foundation has confirmed suspicions that "peri-urban" areas at the outer fringes of cities are particular hot spots for the emergence of animal-to-human infectious diseases. The study led by EWC researchers Sumeet Saksena and Jefferson Fox and published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, focused on outbreaks of the highly p...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - October 16, 2015 Category: Science Source Type: news
Regional Committee continues discussions on strategic health priorities
7 October 2015 The 62nd session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean continued its discussions yesterday in Kuwait on regional and global strategic health priorities. The day's sessions focused on implementation of the United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases with a focus on tobacco use in the Region; global health security with a special emphasis on Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and avian influenza A(H5N1); implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005); and emergency preparedness and respons...
Source: WHO EMRO News - October 6, 2015 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Scientists Take Huge Step Toward Universal Flu Vaccine
A universal flu vaccine -- one that provides immunity against every strain of the influenza virus for multiple years -- is the holy grail of flu research. It would be a medical breakthrough on the order of penicillin, with the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives every year. And scientists just got one crucial step closer to making it a reality. Two separate groups of scientists published papers this week demonstrating that a new type of flu vaccine can provide protection against multiple strains of the disease, rather than just one. Though a truly universal flu vaccine that could be given to humans remain...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - August 28, 2015 Category: Science Source Type: news
Scientists Take Huge Step Toward Universal Flu Vaccine
A universal flu vaccine -- one that provides immunity against every strain of the influenza virus for multiple years -- is the holy grail of flu research. It would be a medical breakthrough on the order of penicillin, with the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives every year. And scientists just got one crucial step closer to making it a reality.
Two separate groups of scientists published papers this week demonstrating that a new type of flu vaccine can provide protection against multiple strains of the disease, rather than just one. Though a truly universal flu vaccine that could be given to humans remain...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - August 28, 2015 Category: Science Source Type: news
Researchers 'a step closer' to universal flu vaccine
Conclusion
These studies have developed two different flu vaccines that could potentially offer broader protection against a variety of flu strains than current vaccines.
As yet, this research has only been conducted in animals, with one study showing an effect against different flu strains in mice and monkeys, and the other showing an effect in mice and ferrets.
As monkeys are more similar to humans than mice or ferrets, the results from these experiments are likely to be the most representative of what would happen in humans.
While the results are encouraging, it is likely that additional lab and animal research on bo...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 25, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medical practice Medication Heart/lungs Swine flu Source Type: news
Is a universal flu vaccine on the horizon?
Two teams develop new methods that protect against H5N1 (Source: ScienceNOW)
Source: ScienceNOW - August 24, 2015 Category: Science Source Type: news
Bird flu spreads to third location in Ivory Coast
ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast said on Friday that H5N1 bird flu had spread to a third location in the country, in the latest in a series of outbreaks in West Africa. (Source: Reuters: Health)
Source: Reuters: Health - August 14, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: healthNews Source Type: news
West Africa: Worries Over Avian Flu Outbreaks in West Africa FAO Calls for $20 Million to Prevent Spread Across Region of 330 Million
[Foroyaa] Fears are growing that without timely intervention to stem outbreaks of the highly virulent avian flu virus H5N1 across West Africa, further spread across the region and beyond is inevitable, FAO said today. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - July 26, 2015 Category: African Health Source Type: news
West Africa: UN Agency Calls for U.S.$20 Million to Halt Spread of 'Highly Virulent' Avian Flu
[UN News] The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today warned that without timely intervention "to stop it in its tracks," outbreaks of the highly virulent avian flu virus H5N1, which has already spread to five West African countries in six months, will spread across the region and beyond. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - July 21, 2015 Category: African Health Source Type: news
UN agency calls for $20 million to halt spread of ‘highly virulent’ avian flu in West Africa
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today warned that without timely intervention “to stop it in its tracks,” outbreaks of the highly virulent avian flu virus H5N1, which has already spread to five West African countries in six months, will spread across the region and beyond. (Source: UN News Centre - Health, Poverty, Food Security)
Source: UN News Centre - Health, Poverty, Food Security - July 20, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news
Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China
On 16 July 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 5 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 3 deaths. Onset dates ranged from 26 May to 18 June 2015. Age of cases ranged from 58 to 77 years with a mean age of 66 years. All 5 cases were male. There were 3 deaths and the remaining 2 cases, at the time of report, were in severe condition. Every case reported exposure to poultry related environment. No clusters were reported. Cases were reported from 4 provinces and municipalities: Anhui (2), Jiangsu (1), Shangh...
Source: WHO Avian Influenza - July 18, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: avian influenza [subject], bird flu, avian flu, fowl plague, influenza in birds, avian bird flu, h5n1, avian influenza [subject], bird flu, avian flu, fowl plague, influenza in birds, avian bird flu, h5n1, influenza [subject], flu, seasonal influenza, pan Source Type: news
Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China
On 11 July 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H5N6) virus.
A 37-year-old female from Shangri-La City, Yunnan Province developed symptoms on 6 July. She was admitted to hospital on 9 July and, despite medical treatment, died on 10 July. On 11 July, a specimen from the patient was tested by Yunnan Provincial CDC and the result was positive for avian influenza A(H5N6). (Source: WHO Avian Influenza)
Source: WHO Avian Influenza - July 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: avian influenza [subject], bird flu, avian flu, fowl plague, influenza in birds, avian bird flu, h5n1, avian influenza [subject], bird flu, avian flu, fowl plague, influenza in birds, avian bird flu, h5n1, family planning [subject], contraception, contrac Source Type: news
