H5N1

Three genes make flu a killer

Via the Wisconsin State Journal: Three genes can turn normal flu into a killer. Excerpt: 

Three key genes can turn a regular flu virus into a super killer like the strain that devastated the world 90 years ago and one that could come again, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers found in a study involving ferrets. 

The discovery by a team led by virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka could help scientists better recognize new flu strains capable of causing a global epidemic, or pandemic, and develop drugs to ward off any kind of flu, the researchers said. 

"These findings may help us identify virulence factors in other emerging pandemic viruses and could accelerate the development of new antiviral drugs," the scientists wrote in a report on their findings in Monday's online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The link will take you to an abstract of the report. The full report is available only to subscribers.

Assam: Culling over, culling continues

Via the Assam Tribune: Culling operations in 11 areas over. But culling goes on in other areas. Excerpt:

Culling of poultry and disinfection operations in the State’s eleven epicentres of bird flu have been completed and sanitation certificates for nine of these locations have also been issued to the Central Government by the State. 

Culling and disinfection operations in the epicentres are taken up to prevent spread of the dreaded disease to new areas. Altogether 18 locations in the State reported outbreak of the disease in a span of around one month since November 27 last. 

Highly places sources in the Veterinary Department said here today that culling operations had also been completed in the 3 km-radius areas around Doloigaon in Bongaigaon district, which reported outbreak of the disease most recently. 

Though culling operations in the 3 km radius areas around Manahkuchi and Rongamati in Kamrup district are expected to be over by December 31, similar operations in the 3 km radius areas of Bardulipara village in Baksa and Nilibari village in Chirang District are expected to take a few more days to be completed, said the sources. 

Meanwhile, culling operations in the 3 km radius around Urputmaniaritiniali in Kamrup District started today, said the sources.

New York Times takes note of H5N1

Via the New York Times: Fewer Human Deaths From Virus Even as It Spreads Among Poultry. Excerpt:

With the arrival of winter, H5N1 avian flu is on the rise again in Asia and Egypt. 

The outbreaks are part of an annual trend: cases peak between December and March each year in birds as well as humans. 

Children have died from it recently in Indonesia and Egypt, and a Cambodian teenager tested positive but survived.

 Only 30 human deaths have been confirmed by the World Health Organization this year. That is well below the 59 recorded last year and the peak of 79 recorded in 2006. 

All 30 deaths this year occurred in only four countries: Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Egypt. No large family clusters, like those found from 2005 to 2007, have been confirmed. 

Indonesia may have had more flu deaths than it has admitted. Its health minister said in June that she “wanted to focus on positive steps by the government” and would not announce all confirmed deaths. There were several family clusters of fatal respiratory diseases this year, according to news reports, but all were officially attributed to other causes.

India: Mass awareness campaign on against bird flu

Via New Kerala.com: Mass awareness campaign on against bird flu. Excerpt:

Indian health officials were beginning a mass awareness campaign to prevent recurrence of bird flu after culling of over 400,000 poultry in the two affected states of West Bengal and Assam. 

As many as 421,057 birds have been culled so far in the two states, health ministry officials said Monday. 

“We are creating public awareness by telecasting and broadcasting messages through local channels and All India Radio about avian influenza to check the problem,” an official said. 

The official said they were also interacting with village people and spreading awareness by making public announcements in the affected areas. 

“We are carrying out intensive campaigning by announcements and also through interactions. This is one way of checking that bird flu doesn't spread to new areas,” he added.

I would be happier if "interacting" were defined as "sitting down and talking with village people," instead of just more "public announcements." 

Reading the English-language media in hot-zone countries, I keep picking up a subtext: We urbanites don't much understand, or like, those ignorant peasants who feed us.

But if the message is strictly one-way, from urbanites to peasants, it's not going to change anyone's behaviour.

Vietnam: More on Thai Nguyen

Via Thanh Nien Daily: Bird flu found in poultry in northern Vietnam. Excerpt:

Bird flu has resurfaced in poultry in northern Thai Nguyen Province after many months without any cases in the nation, the Tuoi Tre daily quoted a report from the Vietnam News Agency on Saturday. 

Animal health officials confirmed on Saturday that the H5N1 virus had killed several birds among a flock of more than 100 ducks in Thai Nguyen Town, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Hanoi. 

Earlier this year in late January, officials had detected the virus in dead chickens at a farm in the same town and nearly 4,200 chickens had been slaughtered. 

According to Deputy Health Minister Trinh Quan Huan last week, there was a very high risk of bird flu returning during the winter and spring in northern Vietnam. The H5N1 strain seems to thrive best in low temperatures. 

The Tet Lunar New Year festival late next month is also considered a high-risk time for the spread of bird flu because the slaughter, trade and consumption of poultry, and smuggling of birds from neighboring China, rises sharply. 

The Health Ministry last week issued a nationwide bird flu alert, urging cities and provinces to step up detection and epidemic control measures. 

Five Vietnamese have died of bird flu so far this year out of six reported H5N1 infections and all were found in northern Vietnam during the first quarter of the year. No new human deaths have been reported since March.

Hong Kong: Live chicken sales resume Dec 30

Via the Hong Kong government website: Live chicken sales resume Dec 30. Excerpt:

Live chicken sales will resume on December 30, while imports of live poultry, including day-old chicks and pet birds, will resume a day earlier, the Food & Health Bureau says   

Live chickens are still banned from entering or leaving the index farm in Ha Chuen in Yuen Long's Lau Fau Shan where chickens were confirmed to have been infected with avian influenza on December 9. The ban lasts for at least 90 days.   

Before the farm can be reopened, veterinarians will inspect the farm's disinfection and cleansing condition. The farm must pass the virus tests and enhance its bio-security measures.   

The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department has conducted inspections on all local chicken farms to follow up their bio-security measures and collect samples for testing to ascertain whether the chickens can be put up for sale.   

Three rounds of tests on the farms have been conducted, and the test results are all negative, according to the department.

Revere on bird flu's birthday

Over at Effect Measure, Revere has a wonderful post: Today is bird flu's birthday. It offers some historical perspective, and reminds us that we still know very little about this virus.

Assam: The economic impact of H5N1

Via the Business Standard in India: Fresh bird flu outbreak in Assam . The story includes an update on the situation, but the business angle is the real story. Excerpt:

With bird flu spreading at an unprecedented rate, the state's poultry sector is reeling under losses and an uncertain future looms large. 

As per estimates made by the All Assam Poultry Farmers' Association (AAPFA), the state's poultry sector has incurred a loss of around Rs. 65 crore [650 million rupees] till recently. Nearly 5.5 lakh [550,000] people associated with poultry business in the Assam have been affected since the outbreak, said Rajiv Sarmah, president of AAPFA. 

Sarmah said that the business has come to a complete halt across the state and as a result the lives of the farmers, most of whom are marginal, and others associated with the business, has become pitiable. 

"Ban or no ban, poultry business has come to a grinding halt. It has really become very difficult for the farmers and others associated with the business to sustain their livelihood as their source of income has suddenly dried up," said Sarmah.

Vietnam: Hospitals try to improve capacity

Via Thanh Nien Daily: Southern Vietnam hospitals work to solve patient overload. Excerpt:

Hospitals around Ho Chi Minh City have streamlined admission and billing procedures and extended their hours to try to keep up with the increasing demand for medical care. 

“Streamlining the hospital’s procedures will help minimize patient waiting times,” said Nguyen Anh Dung, deputy director of Gia Dinh People’s Hospital in Binh Thanh District. 

Dung said the hospital had eliminated several formalities for patients with state health insurance, assigned more staff to admit patients and started collecting hospital fees at different places around the hospital.

UK: A wry look at flu past and present

Via The Independent, a reasonably good-humoured look at getting sick over the holidays: Haunted by the ghost of pandemics past. Excerpt:

It is modish to scare ourselves over historical cycles, so let's start early on the great flu pandemic of 1918. 

My favourite spine-chilling anecdote is of the four women who stayed up to play bridge. By the time they had finished their game, three were dead. 

Flu stories are a good source of fireside conversation during this bleak period before the new year. My host in the ghostly old house in Norfolk where I am spending the week was struck down late on Christmas Day with stomach pains, a high temperature and sweats. 

He has been laid low by what the president of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Steve Field, calls, with a physician's glee, "a real congruence of villains". Field, who has been propelled into media stardom by a nation's sneezes, notes that the sickness bug norovirus has been joined by the common cold and a sly strain of flu.