Avian Influenza - Defra Consults With Ornithological And Meteorological Experts And Key Industry Stakeholders, UK

Following the report by the French Authorities that a dead wild duck in Lyon, France may have died from the highly pathogenic H5N1 AI virus Defra has consulted with ornithological and meteorological experts and with key industry stakeholders. We have concluded that this is a new development which increases the likelihood that H5N1 may be found in the UK. However, we believe that the existing precautionary measures that we have in place remain sufficient and appropriate for the time being.


Fred Landeg, the Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, said:


"We understand that the French authorities have not yet identified the specific strain but they are reporting that it is highly pathogenic and bears close similarities to H5N1 Asian strain.


"The expert ornithologists have advised that ducks from the Lyon region do not normally fly to the UK at this time of the year. Yet we know that the pochard duck uses the East Atlantic flyway, which is the same migratory path under which the UK lies.


"We have existing robust surveillance measures in place and have taken over 3500 samples from wild birds, which so far have not detected H5N1 in the UK. Nor has AI been found in domestic poultry in the European Union. Surveillance will continue at a high level and the general public can play its part here by reporting to the Defra helpline on 08459 335577 any unusual wild bird deaths. We will continue to monitor the developing situation carefully."


Extensive guidance to bird keepers on how to maximise biosecurity is already available. We urge all poultry keepers to follow this advice.


More information on Defra's response to avian influenza..


defra.uk

5 Spanish Hospitals In International Phase III Trial With H5N1 Influenza Pandemic Vaccine

Both governments and the scientific community are mobilised to face the threat of a possible pandemic provoked by avian influenza. Whereas there is no need to alarm the population, we must design tools in order to fight influenza in case it develops. According to historical data and to the high genetic variability of influenza virus, the development of this pandemic is only a matter of time and that the appropriate circumstances are given. The H5N1 virus, which affects the European fowl, has already evidenced that it could successfully break the human barrier. This is the reason why H5N1 is the best candidate to establish the bases of the development of pandemic vaccines. Five large national hospitals will participate in the first study with a H5N1 influenza pandemic vaccine held in Spain. Our specialists are working in an international study, with the participation of 7 countries, in order to assess the possible side effects and immunogenicity of this vaccine, developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), in individuals over 18 years.



A total of 5,052 individuals will participate in this study, 1,500 of which will be recruited in Spain. The five Spanish centres are Hospital 12 de Octubre, Hospital ClГ­nico San Carlos and Hospital de La Princesa in Madrid, and the centres Hospital Vall d'HebrГіn and Hospital ClГ­nic in Barcelona. People participating in the study will be randomly separated into two groups: 75% will receive two doses of influenza vaccine, and 25% will receive a dose of conventional influenza vaccine and a dose of placebo. The second dose will be administrated after 21 days after the first medical examination, and during the study, two more examinations will have place (days 43 and 180) and a telephone check (day 51). In 10% of volunteers, blood tests will be made in order to analyse the immune response triggered by the vaccine. Furthermore, participants will fill in a monitoring card during the week after the administration of each dose, where the potential side effects that could appear, such as pain in the injection area or fever, frequent after any type of vaccination, will be noted. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committees of Clinical Research of the five hospitals and also by the Spanish Agency of Drugs and Health Products.



This vaccine is fractionated, since it only contains parts of the viral proteins which activate our immune system. Since no complete virus is administrated, it is impossible that this vaccine could cause influenza. The vaccine includes an adjuvant, similar to that used by GSK in the malaria vaccine that Hospital ClГ­nic is testing in Mozambique, which enhances the immunogenic effects of the vaccine. The stimulation of the immune system caused by this adjuvant, has already proved successful as a part of a vaccine against conventional influenza, and permits to reduce the antigen concentration administered in each vaccination. In the hypothesis of a pandemic, we must take into account that it would be necessary to vaccinate a large amount of population, and the rhythm of production of vaccines is limited. The efforts are focused in the development of strategies for vaccine production. Last, this vaccine has been produced following the recommendations of the WHO, so that the H5N1 virus has been recombined with the H1N1 Puerto Rico strain of 1934. This strain is highly stable and promotes the development of vaccines in chicken embryo.
















The nomenclature of the several influenza virus identifies the variant they contain of the two more important genes involved in the infection. The Haemaglutinin (H) gene is related with the infectiousness and the virulence of the virus, whereas the Neuraminidase (N) gene determines the ability of progression of the infection. Genetic material of the virus is highly variable and it is found as fractionated single-strained RNA. Small changes in the H and N genes create viruses which cause the frequent annual influenza epidemic. When a large change is produced or a new version of the gene appears, an antigenic change is capable of triggering a worldwide epidemic, called pandemic. Influenza virus with a pandemic potential could appear by direct transfer of an animal virus to humans, -as happened in the "Spanish Influenza" that in 1918 caused death to 5% of the world population- or by a genetic reassortment between human and animal viruses. Such genetic reassortment would have place in a host co-infected by two different viruses.



The probability that a pandemic human virus is generated is now low, but the risk exists, and it is increased when cases of animal flu are found in humas, such in the case of H5N1. The hundred of death cases documented until now can give an idea of the potential danger we are facing. Furthermore, there are two circumstances that worsen this situation: this virus can mutate rapidly, and the fowl surviving the infection excrete the virus intensely through respiratory secretions and faeces during at least 10 days. Because of all this, it is important to make a both scientific and economic effort in order to obtain the best weapons to combat a possible definitive adaptation to humans of the H5N1 virus. In any case, this effort led by Spain, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Russia, France and Estonia will permit to improve the available tools in order to face this or future pandemics.







Contact: Alex Argemi

IDIBAPS - Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer

H5N1 Bird Flu Detected In The Cameroons

H5N1 Bird flu strain was detected in a duck in the Cameroons, making it now the fourth country in Africa to have bird flu within its borders. So far, Nigeria, Niger, Egypt and the Cameroons have bird flu reports.


Samples from a farm in Maroua, Cameroons, were sent to a laboratory in Paris, where H5N1 was confirmed.


The Cameroons' border with Nigeria is 1,800 kilometres long.


So far, no human cases of bird flu have been reported in Africa. According to reports, the virus is starting to establish itself in Africa.


With the coming of spring, Europeans watch with apprehension as birds will start migrating from Africa northwards. There is a good chance these birds will bring the H5N1 strain with them.


A possible route for infection to reach north America is also from Africa. Some birds will migrate all the way to the Arctic and then move south into the American continent in the Autumn (Fall).


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Record-level US Support For Bird Flu Program - Indonesia, Viet Nam And Egypt Among Major Beneficiary Countries

The United States will provide an additional $44.4 million in support of FAO's avian influenza control and prevention campaign, FAO announced today.



With the new funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), US support to the FAO avian influenza program has reached a total of $112.8 million. The United States remains the largest donor to FAO's bird flu control activities implemented in more than 96 countries.



The funds are mainly earmarked for avian influenza control in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, South Asia, West and Central Africa and Viet Nam, as well as global efforts. Indonesia, Viet Nam and Egypt will be the top beneficiaries.



"Although many countries have successfully managed to get avian influenza under control, the virus remains present in ten countries and is mainly entrenched in countries like Egypt, Indonesia and Viet Nam. The additional US funds will enable FAO to continue its work in support of countries that are still struggling to get the virus under control," said FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech.



"The strong partnership with FAO is an integral component of our international efforts to contain and control Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at its animal source," said Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez of the US Mission to FAO.



The main donors to FAO's avian influenza program, which currently amounts to around $282.7 million, are: the United States, Sweden, Australia, Japan, the European Commission, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, the World Bank, UN Development Program, the Asian Development Bank and France. The program is also supported by funds from FAO's Technical Cooperation Program.



FAO

GenoMed and Italian NIH to Collaborate in Finding a Cure for Bird Flu in Poultry

GenoMed, Inc, a Next Generation DM™ (Disease Management) company that uses its expertise in medical genomics to improve clinical outcomes in as many species as possible, announced today that it has entered into a multi-year collaborative agreement with Italy's National Institutes of Health, to test GenoMed's patent-pending use of angiotensin II inhibitors to treat avian influenza in poultry.



The agreement calls for all development work to be funded and performed by the Italian NIH, which will also be responsible for locating a commercial partner. GenoMed will enjoy a 30% share in all global revenues from the drug.


Each year, avian influenza viruses kill hundreds of thousands of chickens. Millions more are killed intentionally to halt the spread of infection, with resulting hardship for chicken farmers around the world and often a rise in worldwide chicken prices. Within the past nine months, for example, chicken flocks have been extensively destroyed in Thailand and Vietnam as well as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas.


GenoMed has applied for patent protection on an inexpensive treatment which should cost only pennies per chicken. If GenoMed's treatment works, it should make the current practice of culling chickens unnecessary. GenoMed's treatment should be rapidly adopted by chicken farmers around the world and used on hundreds of millions of chickens annually.


Said Dr. David Moskowitz, GenoMed's CEO and Chairman, "This promises to be a very profitable public-private sector collaboration, which will benefit the partners and the entire poultry industry, as well as consumers. It follows from our hypothesis that many viral diseases can be cured by blocking angiotensin II."


About GenoMed


GenoMed is leading the worldwide medical revolution which medical genomics has already made possible. In addition to looking for new disease-predisposition genes, the Company is currently marketing its treatment to prevent kidney failure due to diabetes and high blood pressure, and to delay emphysema. GenoMed is currently conducting a global, Internet-based clinical trial against West Nile virus encephalitis. To enroll, just go to genomedics and click on "West Nile virus trial."



SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT



This press release contains forward looking statements, including those statements pertaining to GenoMed, Inc.'s (the Company's) finances and treatments. The words or phrases "ought to," "should," "could," "may," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: (a) whether our treatment approach works for avian influenza and West Nile virus; (b) our research and development being subject to other economic, regulatory, governmental, and technological factors. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, we specifically disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement.



CONTACT: GenoMed Inc.

David W. Moskowitz, MD, MA, FACP

(314) 652-0500

dwmoskowitzgenomedics

Boy Of 8 Dies Of Bird Flu In Indonesia

According to Indonesian authorities, a boy of 8 is the country's tenth person who has died of bird flu infection.


There is slight confusion as to whether bird flu has been confirmed in this case. Indonesian authorities told Reuters news agency that the boy died of bird flu infection. However, the World Health Organisation says it is waiting for confirmation (lab test results pending).


According to the WHO, the tests are being carried out at their laboratories in Hong Kong.


Bird Flu is still a difficult infection for humans to catch. Over the last two years over 100 million birds have died as a result of bird flu. About 165 humans have been infected during the same period, of which about half have died.


Experts say it is only a question of time before the H5N1 bird flu virus strain, the most deadly one, learns how to spread rapidly among humans - transmit from human to human. When it does, we could be facing a serious, global flu pandemic.


In order to spread rapidly among humans, the bird flu virus would have to undergo a change (mutate). It could do this if it infected a human who had normal human flu. The bird flu virus could exchange genetic information with the human flu virus and pick up its ability to spread from human-to-human.


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Pandemic Flu Vaccine Seems Better Than Most Rivals'

A new pandemic flu vaccine is effective in protecting 80% of people who receive it, says its maker, GlaxoSmithkline. A new additive was used to boost the vaccine's effectiveness, this means only a small dose is needed. Sanofi-Aventis, another company that is getting a pandemic flu vaccine ready, had previously reported that theirs was only effective for 50% of people who got the shot.


Glaxo is among some thirty companies worldwide which are developing a new vaccine aimed at protecting humans from bird flu. Glaxo is testing two vaccines, one with a standard additive and another with a new additive.


The aim of the new additive is to get a stronger immune response from a low dose H5N1 vaccine. In other words, the additive, or adjuvant, makes the vaccine more powerful.


If a lower dose is needed, more people can be given the shot.


80% of the volunteers received 3.8ug of antigen and demonstrated a strong seroprotective immune response - well in excess of target criteria set by regulatory agencies for influenza vaccine registrations. GSK says no other H5N1 vaccine has shown such high efficacy results.


JP Garnier, GSK's CEO, said "These excellent clinical trial results represent a significant breakthrough in the development of our pandemic flu vaccine. This is the first time such a low dose of H5N1 antigen has been able to stimulate this level of strong immune response. There is still a lot more work to be done with this programme, but this validation of our approach provides us with the confidence to continue developing the vaccine, including assessment of its ability to offer cross-protection to variants of the H5N1 strain. All being well, we expect to make regulatory filings for the vaccine in the coming months."


The trial, which took place in Belgium, involved 400 healthy adults aged 18-60. The vaccine was produced from an inactivated H5N1 virus and a new adjuvant. Each participant was vaccinated twice during the trial. Four levels of antigen were tested - 3.8ug was the lowest dose tested.


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Prisons Unprepared For Flu Pandemic, Says New SLU Research

As the fear of an impending avian flu pandemic is compelling hospitals, businesses and cities to develop preparedness plans, one of the most potentially dangerous breeding grounds of disease is woefully ill-prepared for a crisis, according to a new study being presented today by researchers at Saint Louis University.



"There's a real failure to recognize how important the health status of inmates is to the public health of all of us," says Rachel Schwartz, Ph.D., a researcher at the Institute for Biosecurity at Saint Louis University School of Public Health. "Nearly 85 percent of those in jails and prisons will be released within a year. So even if we as a society don't think protecting them from disease is a priority, prisoners released into the general population pose a real threat to society."



The research is being presented today at the Correctional Medicine Institute's 2006 Conference in Baltimore.



There are more than two million prisoners in the United States, making up what Schwartz calls "a highly vulnerable population."



"There's a much higher level of disease among prisoners - people with HIV, drug-resistant tuberculosis, hepatitis C and other diseases," she says.



She adds that 80 percent of inmates come to prison with some sort of illness.



"And once they're incarcerated, they're more likely to get other diseases. It makes correctional facilities into ticking time bombs. Many people crowded together, often suffering from diseases that weaken their immune systems, form a potential breeding ground and reservoir for diseases."



Schwartz and fellow researchers studied research and protocols from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and other governments to identify what plans were in place for prisons should an infectious disease break out.



Many of the correctional facilities that Schwartz and colleagues studied have acknowledged they don't have an adequate plan to deal with a pandemic or similar health crisis.



Schwartz says there's reluctance among government leaders to provide prisoners with medical care, such as flu vaccines.



"The thinking is that there won't be enough for the general public, and that they should get the shots first," she says. "We tend to think of all inmates as being violent offenders, but the average length of incarceration is only 48 hours. Many are not convicted criminals, but rather people merely accused of crimes and awaiting trial.



"We know that illness among prisoners will eventually spread and cause illness in society, so we must address this now."



The solution, says Schwartz, is to spend more energy and money on preparedness. She and fellow researchers developed a plan to educate the judicial and prison systems on ways to prevent the spread of disease, from meticulous hand-washing to appropriate use of quarantine and isolation in prison and jail settings.



The pandemic plans are designed to provide useful information for many kinds of crisis situations, Schwartz says.



"Ideally, they will help authorities prepare and respond to anything from a bird flu breakout to a biological attack. The information is also critical for existing illnesses within prisons, like HIV, not just emerging infections."






Saint Louis University School of Public Health is one of only 37 fully accredited schools of public health in the United States and the nation's only School of Public Health sponsored by a Jesuit university. It offers masters degrees (MPH, MHA and MS) and doctoral programs (Ph.D.) in six public health disciplines and joint degrees with the Doisy College of Health Sciences, and schools of Business, Law, Medicine and Social Service. It is home to seven nationally recognized research centers and laboratories with funding sources that include the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the American Cancer Society, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the World Health Organization.



The Saint Louis University Institute for Biosecurity was established in 2000 to provide public health and emergency response professionals with the education needed for preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation of emerging public health threats. Faculty and staff at the Institute conduct research that contributes to the development of national policies to address these threats.



Contact: Rachel Otto


Saint Louis University

Avian Influenza In Turkey, Several New Outbreaks Under Investigation

Tests conducted in Turkish laboratories have confirmed the country's 15th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The patient is a 37-year-old woman with a history of exposure to diseased chickens. She resides in the central province of Sivas, the seventh province to report cases. Although no poultry outbreaks have been officially reported in this province, it is located near areas with confirmed outbreaks in birds.


The situation in birds continues to evolve, with several new outbreaks under investigation in new parts of the country. All evidence to date indicates that patients have acquired their infections following close contact with diseased birds.


The Turkish government has launched an intensive public awareness campaign. Better public understanding of the disease, supported by more complete data on disease activity in birds, could help to reduce the risk of additional human cases, pending control of the disease in birds. As the majority of confirmed cases and persons under investigation are children, it is particularly important that messages about high-risk behaviours reach children.


Some 100,000 treatment courses of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) arrived in Turkey Friday evening. This supply, which is being used for both the treatment of patients and prophylaxis of persons at risk, is considered by Turkish health officials to be adequate for responding to the current situation. WHO has organized additional support for laboratory diagnostic work, and this will be arriving within the next day or two.


Dr Marc Danzon, the WHO Director for its European office, will be arriving in Ankara tomorrow to confer with the country's Minster of Health. They will assess the situation together and review needs for further support.


who.int/csr/don/2006_01_10a/en/index.html


View drug information on Tamiflu capsule.

Mount Sinai School Of Medicine And Bionostra Group Collaborate To Develop Avian Flu Vaccine

The Mount Sinai School of Medicine announced today it will collaborate with the prestigious Bionostra Group of Spain to develop an avian flu vaccine. The vaccine will protect against the lethal infection of the H5N1 virus.



Founded in 2000, Bionostra - - in collaboration with members of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientГ­ficas (CSIC) which is the Spanish High Council of Scientific Research - - has developed a new technology based on virus-like-particles to provide a new generation of vaccines for human and animal health. These novel technology, will offer researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine a great jumping off point in the creation of the vaccine.



"We are enthusiastic with this promising collaboration between Bionostra and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine which is renowned for its prestigious scientific research," said Juan Carlos del Castillo Tamayo, CEO of Bionostra. "This is the first step for a revolutionary new generation of vaccines against the influenza virus."







Mount Sinai School of Medicine has been at the forefront in the study of the influenza virus. The reconstruction of the 1918 influenza virus, a recent scientific breakthrough, was made possible by a technique developed and patented by Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers. The virus was reconstructed using reverse genetics, a technique developed by Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Peter Palese, PhD, Professor and Chairman of Microbiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The collaboration with Bionostra will offer Mount Sinai's researchers an even greater understanding of the pathology of the H5N1 virus and will result in the development of a novel vaccine that combats this burgeoning pandemic.



Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Located in Manhattan, Mount Sinai School of Medicine is internationally recognized for ground-breaking clinical and basic-science research, and innovative approaches to medical education. Through the Mount Sinai Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Mount Sinai trains biomedical researchers with an emphasis on the rapid translation of discoveries of basic research into new techniques for fighting disease. One indication of Mount Sinai's leadership in scientific investigation is its receipt during fiscal year 2004 of $153.2 million. Mount Sinai now ranks 25th among the nation's medical schools in receipt of research support from NIH. Mount Sinai School of Medicine also is known for unique educational programs such as the Humanities in Medicine program, which creates opportunities for liberal arts students to pursue medical school, and instructional innovations like The Morchand Center, the nation's largest program teaching students and physicians with "standardized patients" to become not only highly skilled, but compassionate caregivers. Long dedicated to improving its community, the School extends its boundaries to work with East Harlem and surrounding communities to provide access to health care and educational programs to at risk populations.



Contact: Lucia Lee

lucia.leemountsinai

The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Japan, Malaysia and Singapore Ban U.S. Poultry

As three Asian nations ban the imports of poultry from the USA, China has new cases of bird flu.


Hong Kong has banned the import of live birds and poultry from the Delaware (USA) region only.


Chinese state television said the bird flu cases were confirmed in Hubei, Shaanxi, Gansu, Hunan, Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces. Suspected cases also were found in the Guangdong and Guangxi regions.


All those areas have had quarantine control measures implemented. The Chinese authorities said there have been no human cases in these areas (humans catching bird flu).


12,000 chickens have been slaughtered in Delaware after some chickens were found to have bird flu (a milder virus strain than in Asia).


The Delaware chicken industry is a huge employer of workers.

Don't Just Assume Wild Birds Spread Bird Flu

Scientists say we should not just assume that wild birds are spreading bird flu around the world. The part wild birds play in the spread of avian influenza, after careful analysis by scientists, is unclear. This is the opinion of several scientists meeting for a two-day conference in Rome.


The meeting is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE).


Although wild birds may be a useful indicator of the presence of bird flu in an area, how big their role is in spreading bird flu is unknown. Just because you find a dead swan on the coast does not necessarily mean bird flu is being brought in at that time by wild swans.


It is possible, say scientists, that migrating birds play some role in bird flu spread - their role could be small or big. Most experts agree that several factors influence the spread of bird flu.


Experts are urging more use of vaccinations of farmed poultry stocks. They say the poultry industry plays a major role in the spread of H5N1. Vaccinations would help enormously.


Dr Robert Webster, St Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, USA, says that there are good vaccines that could control the source of an outbreak. He criticizes governments around the world for not standardizing their vaccines for antigen content. He says this standardization can be done.


Dr. Webster says vaccines would be a great help for poorer countries which find it harder to mass cull their poultry stocks.


The scientists also urged agencies to concentrate more on Africa. If H5N1 becomes entrenched and widespread in Africa, it will stay there for several years. This would significantly raise the number of times other parts of the world could become re-infected.


For bird flu outbreaks to be controlled, detection and response has to be swift. Most of Asia and Europe have managed to detect and respond quickly. It is vital that Africa does the same.


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Grants Put ANU In Bird Flu Fight Frontline

Australia's preparedness for a potential Avian Influenza pandemic will be boosted by four new projects at ANU, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).



Researchers at the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences have received $110,000 for a project to strengthen the contribution of general practitioners to the control of pandemic influenza, $183,040 for a project that will examine the most effective ways to control an influenza pandemic, including strategies for effective use of limited antivirals, and $239,570 for research into inactivated flu vaccines.



Researchers at the ANU College of Science have received $237,807 to search for agents that prevent or disrupt the release of proteins, known as a cytokine storm, which causes death in flu victims.



Professor Ian Clarke from the ANU Research School of Chemistry will lead a team screening for agents that are active against late-stage inflammatory cytokines in influenza.



When the body is infected with a virulent flu virus that it hasn't encountered before, especially avian flu, the immune system goes into overdrive and creates what is know as a cytokine storm, which leads to death. Professor Clark will screen for agents that can prevent or halt a cytokine storm, with and without Tamiflu.



Leader of the study into how GP's could contribute to controlling an influenza pandemic, Professor Marjan Klajkovic from the ANU Medical School said GPs had an important role to play during a pandemic.



"This study will develop a range of action plans for use by general practitioners and public health authorities to support essential primary health care functions through a pandemic, and maximize general practice's contribution to control efforts," he said.



Project collaborator, Dr Christine Phillips, said: "We need to find ways for basic primary health care services to be maintained through a pandemic, a time when people may not be able to come to doctors' surgeries, and health care worker numbers themselves may be decreased."



In the second project, biostatistician Professor Niels Becker from the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health will look at the most effective ways to control a pandemic influenza and the most effective data assessment strategies in the event of a pandemic.



"We're aiming to help prepare for a pandemic of influenza by comparing as realistically as possible how effective the various available control strategies are at reducing transmission of the disease. The study will take due account of the ability and resources available and the need to maintain essential services."



Professor Becker's study will compare control strategies, such as reducing the number of close contacts we make with others, isolating cases after they are diagnosed, closing schools, quarantining households, quarantining individuals who are known to have been exposed to the virus, and using antiviral drugs to treat and protect people at risk of being infected. The study will also look at the most effective ways of using limited stocks of antiviral drugs and control strategies in the event of a strain developing that is drug resistant.



Dr Arno Mullbacher of the John Curtin School of Medical Research will lead a study into the potential use of gamma-ray inactivated influenza vaccine.







Jane O'Dwyer

Media Manager

The Australian National University

T: +61 261 255 001

F: +61 262 158 255

M: +61 416 249 231

W: anu.au/media



Contact: Jane O'Dwyer

Research Australia



View drug information on Tamiflu capsule.

Mute Swans Infected With Bird Flu In Dorset, England

Authorities are trying to find out how the virulent H5N1 bird flu virus strain infected and killed three mute swans in Dorset, England. Other birds at Abbotsbury Swannery are being tested. Abbotsbury Swannery, approximately 9 miles from Weymouth, is a bird sanctuary. According to Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), the dead birds were found while routine surveillance was taking place.


Authorities are asking all bird keepers, particularly those in Dorset, to be extra vigilant. Experts say birds will not be culled as this move could disperse birds further away.


John Houston, Abbotsbury Swannery, said this latest outbreak is a "big shock" for him and all his staff. He stressed that his main concern is for the welfare of the swans, staff and the general public. "We are also working with the Health Protection Agency to ensure that staff and public are fully protected," he said.


Experts say this latest outbreak is more worrying because it involves wild birds.


Defra informs that tests from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) confirm that the swans were infected with the highly pathogenic (virulent) H5N1 avian influenza virus strain. A 3km Control Area and 10km Monitoring Area are being established around the premises. Within these areas bird gatherings will be banned, and bird keepers must house their birds or make sure they are cannot come into contact with wild birds or their feathers and droppings.


Defra adds that it is working closely with ornithological experts to consider what wider measures may be required. So far, no domestic birds have been reported as infected.


More information on movement restrictions applying during an Avian Influenza outbreak


If you need to report dead wild gulls, waders, ducks, geese or swans; groups of dead birds or need advice on avian flu, please contact the Defra Helpline 08459 33 55 77 Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm. More information on finding dead birds is available. For information on the disposal of poultry please see Defra's Fallen Stock pages.


-- Abbotsbury Swannery

-- Map (Zoom out to see more of UK)

-- Defra - Avian Flu Page

-- "Avian Influenza - Still a Disease of Birds", British Veterinary Association


Written by -

News From The Journals Of The American Society For Microbiology

Campylobacter Bacteria in Cattle Manure May Survive Composting



Contrary to popular belief, some disease causing bacteria may actually survive the composting process. Researchers from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada report in the February 2010 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology that campylobacter bacteria in cattle manure can survive composting and persist for long periods in the final product.



Campylobacter bacteria are the most common cause of gastroenteritis in the developed world. They are frequently shed by beef cattle in manure and although the impact on human health is undetermined there appears to be a link in areas such as Alberta, Canada where cases of human campylobacteriosis are extremely common and the cattle density is high.



Composting is described as a process in which organic matter in manure is stabilized through water loss, nutrient transmission, alteration of physical structure, elimination of weed seeds, and the inactivation of coliform bacteria, protozoan cysts and oocysts and viruses. Government agencies in both the United States and Canada recommend composting to reduce pathogen levels in manure.



In the study researchers examined the persistence of naturally occurring campylobacter bacteria in compost derived from manure of beef cattle that were administered antibiotics (AS700) and a control group that were not. Bacterial populations were the same in both groups, however, the temperature of the AS700 compost was more viable and not as high as that of the control group. Water content, total carbon, total nitrogen and electrical conductivity varied significantly between groups. Results showed that no reductions in the quantities of Campylobacter jejuni DNA were observed throughout the 10-month composting period. Further testing suggests that Campylobacter DNA examined from compost was extracted from viable cells.



"The findings of this study indicate that campylobacteria excreted in cattle feces persist for long periods in compost and call into question the common belief that these bacteria do not persist in manure," say the researchers.



(G.D. Inglis, T.A. McAllister, F.J. Larney, E. Topp. 2010. Prolonged survival of Campylobacter species in bovine manure compost. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 76. 4: 1110-1119.)



Single-Dose HIV DNA Vaccine Induces Long-Lasting Immune Response in Monkeys



For the first time researchers from the U.S. and abroad have shown a single-dose HIV DNA vaccine can induce a long-lasting HIV-specific immune response in nonhuman primates, a discovery that could prove significant in the development of HIV vaccines. They detail their findings in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of Virology.
















HIV is persistently spreading at epidemic rates throughout the world emphasizing the need for a vaccine that can substantially reduce viral loads and minimize transmission. History shows vaccines to be the most effective strategy against pandemic infectious diseases such as smallpox, polio, measles and yellow fever, however, the control of HIV not only relies on the production of neutralizing antibodies, but also the development of high frequency, broadly targeted T-cell responses specific to the virus. To date live-attenuated simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)/HIV vaccines have prompted the most significant immune response against AIDS in a nonhuman primate model, but risk of redeveloping pathogenic forms makes them ineligible for human use.



DNA-based vaccines have become more preferable in controlling infectious diseases due to their safety and ability to induce both humoral and T-cell immune responses. In a previous study the researchers successfully induced long-lasting and potent HIV-specific immune responses in mice following immunization with a single-dose SHIV DNA-based vaccine. In this study rhesus macaques were immunized with a single high dose of the SHIV DNA-based vaccine and monitored for vaccine-induced immune responses. Results showed that all immunized monkeys developed broad HIV-specific T-cell immune responses that persisted for months. Additionally, an unusual reemergence in the blood following an initial decline and in the absence of antibody responses was noted.



"Our comprehensive analysis demonstrated for the first time the capacity of a single high dose of HIV DNA vaccine alone to induce long-lasting and polyfunctional T-cell responses in the nonhuman primate model, bringing new insights for the design of future HIV vaccines," say the researchers.



(G. Arrode-BrusГ©s, D. Sheffer, R. Hedge, S. Dhillon, Z. Liu, F. Villinger, O. Narayan, Y. Chebloune. 2010. Characterization of T-cell responses in macaques immunized with a single dose of HIV DNA vaccine. Journal of Virology, 84. 3: 1243-1253.)



Single-Dose H5N1 Vaccine Safe and Effective in Adults and Elderly



Researchers from Hungary and the UK have developed a single-dose H5N1 influenza vaccine that induces a protective level of immunity against infection in healthy adult and elderly volunteers. The vaccine is the first single-dose regimen to be tested in elderly subjects and it fulfills all European Union and U.S. licensing criteria offering a promising influenza A virus vaccine candidate. They report their findings in the February 2008 issue of the Journal of Virology.



New cases of human H5N1 infection continue to emerge worldwide resulting in severe illness and high fatality rates. In the case of a pandemic, vaccination is likely to be the most effective approach toward minimizing illness and death. Already a variety of candidate vaccines are being tested, however, most require two-dose regimens to be effective.



In the study researchers developed a whole-virion, inactivated, adjuvanted H5N1 vaccine and tested its safety and efficacy in healthy adult and elderly volunteers. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive one or two doses of 3.5 Ојg of the vaccine or one dose of 6 or 12 Ојg of the vaccine. Safety and side effects were monitored following vaccination and blood samples were collected to determine immune response. Occasional injection site pain, fever and fatigue were the only reported side effects and while antibody responses were observed in all the subjects, single doses of 6 Ојg or more fulfilled the European Union and U.S. licensing criteria.



"We found that the present vaccine is safe and immunogenic in healthy adult and elderly subjects and requires low doses and, unlike any other H5N1 vaccines, only one injection to trigger immune responses which comply with licensing criteria," say the researchers.



(Z. Vajo, J. Wood, L. Kosa, I. Szilvasy, G. Paragh, Z. Pauliny, K. Bartha, I. Visontay, A. Kis, I. Jankovics. 2010. A single-dose influenza A (H5N1) vaccine safe and immunogenic in adult and elderly patients: an approach to pandemic vaccine development. Journal of Virology, 84. 3: 1237-1242.)



Source:

Carrie Slijepcevic

American Society for Microbiology

Carrington Subsidiary DelSite Biotechnologies Secures Antigen For Phase I Clinical Trial Of Nasal Powder Influenza Vaccine

Carrington
Laboratories, Inc. (Nasdaq: CARN) today announced its wholly-owned
subsidiary, DelSite Biotechnologies, Inc., has secured a source of
influenza antigen for a planned Phase I Clinical Trial of a novel nasal
powder influenza vaccine based on its GelVac(TM) dry powder technology. The
GelVac(TM) powder contains the unique and enabling in situ gelling
GelSite(R) polymer that is manufactured by DelSite. This vaccine provides
distinct potential advantages that could meet the critical needs for
pandemic preparedness and epidemic control, including room temperature
stability, prolonged shelf life, distribution without refrigeration, and
needle-free administration.


A Pre-IND meeting with the FDA on this nasal powder vaccine was
completed in November of 2006. Toxicology study protocols relevant to this
vaccine are being reviewed at the FDA. Pending successful toxicological
studies, this will be the first influenza nasal powder vaccine to be used
in a human clinical trial. The GelVac(TM) system requires no organic
solvent in the manufacturing process, uses no preservatives, and does not
require refrigeration. It also gels in situ and is mucoadhesive, providing
prolonged nasal residence time and thus increasing antigen delivery.
Additionally both systemic and mucosal immunity are induced with nasal
immunization.



Dr. Yawei Ni, senior scientist at DelSite, stated, "The effectiveness
of GelVac(TM) nasal powder influenza vaccine has been well demonstrated in
our preclinical studies. Previously, we completed a Phase I human safety
study on GelVac(TM) powder system (without antigen) with results that form
the basis for this upcoming Phase I study. In addition, GelVac(TM) powder
with influenza antigens has been stable at ambient room temperature for
over two years, which has positive implication for future stockpiling of
vaccines for pandemic use."



Carlton E. Turner, CEO of Carrington said, "The acquisition of a GLP
and cGMP antigen relieves us of the expense of producing an antigen using
our viral and cell banks. Thus, we can invest these funds toward the needs
for the Phase I trial. In March of 2006, briefings were held with key
members of Congress, relevant Congressional Hill Committee staffers, and
policy makers at HHS on DelSite's nasal powder vaccine technology. DelSite
was asked if it were possible, for national preparedness, to develop the
dry powder nasal technology faster than the milestones required by NIH
grants supporting our platform and pandemic bird flu (H5N1) influenza
vaccine program. I accepted the challenge to use Carrington funds and
accelerate our nasal delivery vaccine program. The acquisition of this
antigen furthers our ability to meet my commitment to members of Congress,
their Committees and policy makers. Nothing is definite until clinical
results are analyzed, but based on the strength of our technologies, I
believe our shareholders will get great value out of this program. And our
nation will have another tool in its arsenal to vaccinate and protect our
citizens in pandemic or routine seasonal influenza needs."
















About DelSite



Carrington's wholly-owned subsidiary DelSite Biotechnologies, Inc., is
developing its proprietary GelSite(R) technology designed to provide
controlled release of peptide and protein-based drugs and vaccines. DelSite
is currently developing a nasal powder vaccine using its GelVac(TM) formula
with the H5N1 avian flu antigen. This work is partially funded by two
grants from NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
of NIH (National Institute of Health) under the Department of Health and
Human Services.



About Carrington



Carrington Laboratories, Inc., is an ISO 9001-certified,
research-based, biopharmaceutical and consumer products company currently
utilizing naturally- occurring complex carbohydrates to manufacture and
market products for mucositis, radiation dermatitis, wound and oral care,
as well as to manufacture and market the nutraceutical raw material
Manapol(R) and cosmetic raw material Hydrapol(TM). Carrington also
manufactures and markets consumer products and manufactures quality
products for other companies. Manufacturing operations comply with cGMP
standards. Carrington's DelSite Biotechnologies subsidiary is developing
its proprietary GelSite(R) technology designed to provide controlled
release of peptide and protein-based drugs and vaccines. Carrington's
technology is protected by more than 130 patents in 26 countries. Select
products carry the CE mark, recognized by more than 20 countries around the
world. For more information, visit carringtonlabs.




Certain statements in this release concerning Carrington may be
forward- looking. Actual events will be dependent upon a number of factors
and risks including, but not limited to: subsequent changes in plans by the
Company's management; delays or problems in formulation, manufacturing,
distribution, production and/or launch of new finished products; changes in
the regulatory process; changes in market trends; and a number of other
factors and risks described from time to time in the Company's filings with
the Securities & Exchange Commission, including the Form 10-K, filed April
2, 2007.


Carrington Laboratories, Inc.

carringtonlabs


View drug information on Carrington patch.

USDA And FAO Launch Animal Disease Crisis Management CentreAll Nations Will Benefit

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will send four veterinary specialists to Rome to assist the FAO in launching a new crisis management center that will enhance worldwide response to animal disease. The Center will begin operations by end-July at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.



The Crisis Management Center (CMC), a facility run by the FAO in close collaboration with the OIE (World Organization for Animal Health), will provide animal disease analysis and information and deploy international resources to prevent and contain dangerous animal diseases. The current focus will be on highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza that continues to spread throughout the world.



The United States will provide $1.8 million to FAO to create the Center. Other contributors include France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.



"All nations will benefit as we work to reduce the risk and spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza," said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.



"The international community has a responsibility to equip countries, particularly developing countries, with the expertise and resources necessary for a rapid and effective response to any possible animal disease outbreaks."



A broad task



The FAO operations are aimed at:



- Strengthening of disease intelligence and emergency preparedness;


- Examining the role of migratory birds in the disease spread;


- Supporting broad awareness creation and risk communication;


- Analyzing the social and economic consequences of both the disease and its control;


- Strengthening field surveillance, laboratory capabilities, and global avian influenza surveillance and early warning capabilities;


- Advising governments and building capacities on disease surveillance and control.
Samuel Jutzi, head of FAO's Animal Production and Health Division said: "The FAO/OIE Crisis Management Center generously supported by USDA and a number of further donors serves to upscale these operations and render them more effective now that the H5N1 virus is present in at least 32 countries."



The Center also will collaborate with the UN's World Health Organization

fao

Unique Flu Vaccine Trial To Start In London - Opportunity To Trial New Vaccine That Could Help In The Fight Against Annual And Pandemic Flu

With winter on its way and the flu season about to begin Londoners are being offered the opportunity to sign up for a unique clinical trial to test a new DNA Vaccine. The trial, which has received approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), will test for the first time whether a DNA vaccine can protect people from infection with influenza.


If successful, this challenge study could pave the way for DNA vaccines such as this H3 vaccine for annual flu and PowderMed's H5N1 pandemic vaccine, to reach market approval. PowderMed also started a trial on the H5N1 DNA vaccine last month.


PowderMed's Chief Medical Officer, Dr John Beadle said "This particular trial is unique because it will be the first to assess the ability of our DNA vaccine to protect human volunteers against flu. What we are looking for are people willing to be vaccinated and then later challenged with an annual flu virus. Some of them may get a mild form of influenza like illness, but our previous data suggests that those who are vaccinated may be protected. All volunteers will receive, at the end of the study, treatment with Tamiflu a licensed antiviral drug".


This trial is one of three being conducted this year by UK company PowderMed to assess the ability of DNA vaccines to protect against annual and pandemic influenza. PowderMed's DNA vaccines use a proprietary needle-free system to deliver microscopic gold particles coated with DNA at supersonic speed into the immune cells of the skin. Previous studies have shown that these vaccines can protect animals from challenges with either annual or bird flu viruses and produce a protective level of immune response in humans.


The first phase of the trial is being conducted at Guys Drug Research Unit (GDRU), Quintiles UK Ltd in London. Dr Tim Mant, Senior Medical Advisor, GDRU said that "Annual flu is debilitating for many and life threatening for some; flu is a major public health issue and we feel it is important to contribute to knowledge about potential new vaccines. We are currently screening volunteers to determine whether they may be eligible to enroll in this influenza vaccine study."


Later in the trial the volunteers will be accommodated for ten days in a residential facility, where they will be challenged with an enfeebled version of the H3N2 strain of influenza virus which is known to cause annual influenza in non-immunised people. At the end of this period the volunteers will all be given Tamiflu, an antiviral drug, already approved for use in the UK to reduce the duration of any potential influenza symptoms.


About PowderMed


PowderMed is a private immunotherapeutic company based in Oxford, UK. The Company is focused on the clinical development and manufacture of therapeutic and prophylactic DNA-based vaccines for viral diseases and cancer. The company has 4 clinical and 3 pre-clinical stage projects. The lead clinical programme has shown positive Phase I results in the treatment and prevention of human influenza. This technology is uniquely and easily adaptable to treat avian flu and to address the pandemic threat. PowderMed also has a product for the treatment of genital herpes in Phase I trials, and two partnered Phase I programmes in Cancer (Ludwig Institute) and HIV/AIDS (Glaxo SmithKline). PowderMed vaccines are delivered using PMEDTM (Particle mediated epidermal delivery), a needle-free, virtually painless delivery system that requires minimal medical training, allows self-administration and requires no refrigeration for stockpiling. Specifically, PowderMed's technology delivers DNA to the epidermal layer of the skin where it is presented to the cells of the immune network, thereby creating immunity and thus facilitating both treatment and prevention of disease.

powdermed


View drug information on Tamiflu capsule.

Bird Flu Spreads To Several Commercial Farms In Nigeria

Authorities in Nigeria say that several commercial farms in states neighbouring Kaduna state now have H5N1 infected poultry.


Infected farms have been found in the following areas of Nigeria:


-- Kano

-- Plateau

-- Katsina

-- Bauchi

-- Abuja


Some humans with respiratory symptoms are also being tested for bird flu infection. Samples have been sent to a laboratory in Surrey, England.


The first bird flu outbreak (among poultry) is known to have started in Kaduna state on January 10th. Experts believe the virus had already been around for a while and that many other birds, and perhaps some humans, had been infected.


Patient records are being checked in the states of Kaduna, Kano and Katsina for signs of bird flu like symptoms - to check whether infection had taken place earlier. So far, nothing has been found.


Backyard poultry is very common in Nigeria, making it very hard for authorities to really gauge the scale of this outbreak. There are probably about 140 million heads of poultry in Nigeria, most of them are in the south-western part of the country. 60% of the country's poultry can be found in small backyard flocks.


The World Health Organization has expressed concern about the possible spread of bird flu to Nigeria's neighbours, where borders are porous and restrictions are difficult to enforce. Rumours are flying that the H5N1 virus strain has spread rapidly into neighbouring countries - there is no official confirmation of this, neither by national governments nor international organisations.



Written by:

$300,000 CIHR Grant Awarded To Medicago, The Research Institute Of The MUHC And McGill University

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) have awarded a $300,000 grant for research focusing on the nature of the immune response induced by the action mechanisms of plant-made Virus-Like Particles (VLP) to Dr. Louis Vezina, Chief Scientific Officer of Medicago and to Dr. Brian Ward and Dr. Ciriaco Piccirillo of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) and McGill University.



"Receiving this government grant further acknowledges the scientific merit of our joint research efforts with McGill in the development of leading plant-based VLP vaccines," said Andy Sheldon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Medicago. "A deeper understanding of all potential benefits of the immune response generated by our VLPs will allow us to further differentiate and better position our product on the market. We believe our VLP vaccines will be the preferred option to increase the speed of a public health response in the event of a pandemic outbreak as our VLP plant-based manufacturing process is very efficient with a relatively low capital cost."



"VLPs are among the most promising technologies to produce the next generation of vaccines. The technical simplicity and low cost of VLP production in plants add great value to this delivery system as it is the first platform technology with a realistic potential to address the needs of the developing world for low cost vaccines," said Brian Ward, Associate Director of the Research Institute at the MUHC (Fundamental Science). " I am delighted that we have secured this grant from CIHR as a sophisticated understanding of how these vaccines interact with the immune system is of considerable importance."



Medicago recently reported positive interim results from a Phase I human clinical trial with its H5N1 Avian Influenza vaccine candidate ("H5N1 vaccine"). The vaccine was found to be safe, well tolerated and also induced a solid immune response. Full results of the Phase I trial will be submitted for publication in a scientific journal and will be available in the coming months.



Dr. Brian Ward, is Associate Director of the Research Institute at the MUHC (Fundamental Science), Co-Director of the MUHC Vaccine Evaluation Centre and also a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. Dr. Ciriaco Piccirillo is Canada Research Chair, Principal Investigator of the Laboratory of Immuno-regulation, Director of the FOCIS Center of Excellence, Director of the Immune Phenotyping Platform at the RI MUHC and Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at McGill University



Source:

Julie Robert

McGill University Health Centre

Roche Files Supplemental New Drug Application With U.S. Food & Drug Administration For Tamiflu(R) 30 Mg And 45 Mg Capsules

Roche has filed a supplemental
new drug application (sNDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) to market Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) capsules in pediatric doses
of 30 mg and 45 mg. Tamiflu, which is indicated for the prevention and
treatment of influenza types A and B in patients one year and older, is
currently available in a 75 mg capsule for adults as well as liquid
suspension formulation for children. With a longer shelf life than the
liquid suspension formulation (five years vs. 24 months), Tamiflu pediatric
capsules provide a better option for government pandemic stockpiling and
can be administered to children for seasonal influenza.



The application was filed based on information already available for
the 75 mg capsule. The method of manufacturing will remain the same; the
only change will be the size of the capsule and the amount of the active
ingredient, oseltamivir phosphate, filled into the capsule. Roche is
optimistic that the FDA will complete its review of the sNDA by mid-2007.



Flu's Impact on Children



Research indicates that children are especially vulnerable to influenza
and its complications. On average, one in three children in the U.S. is
affected by influenza annually.(1) Children are also two to three times
more likely than adults to get sick with the flu, according to the National
Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).(2)



Additionally, children represent a population that is both
vulnerable to influenza infection and one of the most important links in
its transmission.(3) Experts believe that compared with adults, children do
not have as much natural immunity to influenza, because they have had less
lifetime exposure. Close contact with each other in school, home and
daycare settings increases children's risk of getting and spreading the
virus.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends three
steps to protect against influenza: vaccination, good health/hygiene
habits, and antiviral medications. When taken within 12-48 hours of symptom
onset, antiviral medications like Tamiflu can help reduce the duration of
symptoms. Tamiflu can be used preventively to help avoid the flu
altogether. Clinical trials have shown Tamiflu to be up to 89 percent
effective in preventing influenza illness when taken within 48 hours of
exposure, which can help control spread in the workplace and other crowded
settings.



Roche's Efforts to Support Pandemic Stockpiling



The World Health Organization (WHO) advises that stockpiling antivirals
in advance is presently the only way to ensure that sufficient supplies are
available in the event of a pandemic. Roche has been working closely with
WHO and national governments to ensure governments are aware of the
importance of stockpiling antivirals in the event of a pandemic situation.
Roche has received and fulfilled pandemic orders for Tamiflu from more than
75 countries worldwide.
















Roche has also donated 5.125 million courses of Tamiflu treatment to
the WHO for international rapid response and regional response to a
pandemic influenza strain.



About Tamiflu



Tamiflu, co-developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc., based in Foster City,
CA, is a systemic treatment for the most common strains of influenza (types
A and B). Tamiflu is indicated for the treatment of uncomplicated influenza
caused by viruses types A and B in patients one year and older who have had
flu symptoms for no more than two days. Tamiflu is also indicated for the
prevention of influenza in patients one year and older. Tamiflu is not a
substitute for annual early vaccination as recommended by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.



Tamiflu has not been shown to be effective against any illness other
than that caused by influenza types A and B. Efficacy of treatment in
patients with chronic cardiac and/or respiratory disease has not been
established. No difference in the incidence of complications was seen
between the treatment and placebo groups in this population. No information
is available regarding treatment of influenza in patients at imminent risk
of requiring hospitalization. Efficacy of TAMIFLU has not been established
in immunocompromised patients.



Safety and efficacy of repeated treatment or prophylaxis courses have
not been studied. In post-marketing experience, rare cases of anaphylaxis
and serious skin reactions, including toxic epidermal necrolysis,
Stevens-Johnson syndrome and erythema multiforme, have been reported.



There have been postmarketing reports (mostly from Japan) of
self-injury and delirium with the use of Tamiflu in patients with
influenza. The reports were primarily among children.



The relative contribution of the drug to these events is not known.
Patients with influenza should be closely monitored for signs of abnormal
behavior throughout the treatment period.



In treatment studies in adult patients, the most frequently reported
adverse events (incidence greater than or equal to 1%) were nausea and
vomiting. Other events reported numerically more frequently in patients
taking Tamiflu compared with placebo were bronchitis, insomnia and vertigo.
In treatment studies in patients one to 12 years old, the most frequently
reported adverse event (incidence greater than or equal to 1%) was vomiting
(15%). Other events reported more frequently in patients taking Tamiflu
compared with placebo included abdominal pain (5% vs 4%), nosebleed (3% vs
3%), ear disorder (2% vs 1%) and pink eye (1% vs

Flu Vaccination For Poultry Workers - Leaflet, Q&A Sheet, And Directions, UK

The Department of Health is offering flu vaccination this winter to those who work in close contact with poultry. This is being done as a precautionary public health measure and does not mean that workers are at any higher risk of getting flu this winter than usual. Nor does it mean that there is an increased risk of an outbreak of bird flu in the UK as this risk remains low.


For further information please see the leaflet,Q&A sheet, and Directions at the links below.


-- Flu vaccination for poultry workers - Leaflets


-- Download Flu immunisation programme for people who work in close contact with poultry - Q&A (PDF, 64K)


-- The Primary Medical Services (Influenza Immunisation Scheme for Poultry Workers) Directions 2007


-- Guidance on the implementation of a seasonal flu vaccination programme


-- Download Flu immunisation programme for poultry workers - consent form (PDF, 30K)


-- Download Poultry premises for England (Map) (PDF, 256K)


-- Download Vaccine supply order form (PDF, 54K)


Flu key documents


Flu documents and resources for patients and health professionals. Includes frequently asked questions, anti-viral agent information, contingency plans and immunisation publicity campaigns.

-- Flu key documents


Flu FAQ


Frequently asked questions about flu immunisation policy, vaccine and the implementation of policy.

-- Flu FAQ


Flu useful links


Links to web pages about influenza.

-- Flu useful links


Department of Health (UK)

Turkish Brothers With Virus But No Symptoms Confirm Genomed's Approach To Bird Flu

GenoMed (OTC Pink Sheets GMED), a Next Generation Disease Management company whose business is public health, announced today that its approach to avian influenza was confirmed today by the finding of two brothers with evidence of avian influenza infection but no symptoms.


The two brothers are being watched in Kecioren Hospital, Turkey, and were the subject of several news reports, for example, CLICK HERE - reuters .


Said Dr. David Moskowitz, GenoMed's CEO and Chief Medical Officer, "This finding confirms our impression that what kills members of the general population is not the virus, but their reaction to the virus. Our treatment approach is designed to convert everybody in the general population into asymptomatic viral shedders like these two boys."


About GenoMed


GenoMed's broad-spectrum anti-viral approach is specifically mentioned in BioShield II, (see Section 2151 of Senate bill S. 975). GenoMed uses already existing, safe medication present in every drug store and hospital in the world. Anyone interested in participating in GenoMed's clinical trial for avian influenza or regular influenza can download the trial documents from genomed.


Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward looking statements, including those statements pertaining to GenoMed, Inc.'s (the Company's) finances and treatments. The words or phrases "ought to," "should," "could," "may," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to our research and development being subject to scientific, economic, regulatory, governmental, and technological factors. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, we specifically disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement.


David W. Moskowitz MD

CEO, GenoMed

dwmoskowitzgenomed

genomed

Preclinical Proof-of-Concept Studies Published For Novavax Seasonal Influenza Virus-Like-Particle Vaccine

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced publication of the preclinical study results that supported the clinical development of the company's investigational VLP vaccine against the H3N2, H1N1 and B influenza strains. The study, which was conducted by scientists from the University of Pittsburgh, Center for Vaccine Research and Novavax, was published in the June 24, 2009 online issue of PLoS ONE. The vaccine contains three VLPs mixed together in a single formulation; each made up of the hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA) and matrix 1 (M1) proteins from the representative strains. These proteins are important for broad protection against influenza, which is responsible for nearly 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. The vaccine is currently in Phase 2 clinical testing.


In this study, mice and ferrets received intramuscular injections of VLP vaccine which induced HAI antibodies against all three influenza strains represented in the vaccine and against a variety of drifted strains. All of the ferrets who received a vaccine dose of 15 mcg/strain, the dose used for currently licensed vaccines, developed HAI titers greater than or equal to 1:40. This level of antibody has been shown to be important for protection against flu in human studies of influenza vaccines. In addition, approximately 50% of ferrets developed HAI titers greater than or equal to 1:40 against drifted H3N2 strains from the 1999, 2002, and 2005 influenza seasons. The vaccine was also protective, reducing the amount of influenza virus in the nose of ferrets that were challenged with the H3N2 strain from the 2005-6 season.


In addition to antibody response, the study also examined cell-mediated immunity. T cell responses in mice vaccinated with the seasonal VLP vaccine were compared with T cell responses in mice vaccinated with a commercial influenza vaccine. Of note, mice vaccinated with the VLP vaccine had higher levels of HA flu-specific CD8+ T cells than mice vaccinated with the commercial vaccine. CD8+ T cells play a role in clearing virus from the respiratory tract, which may be an important factor in preventing influenza-associated pneumonia, a leading cause of flu-related hospitalizations in adults older than 65 years of age.


"This study demonstrates the breadth of the immune response induced by the VLP vaccine," said Ted Ross, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh. "Not only did the vaccine induce robust HAI responses, it also induced HA-specific CD8+ T cell responses that were superior to those of a split vaccine. This finding may be reflective of the integrity of the structure of the HA protein presented in the VLP."















"We are pleased with the results of this study, which supported the human clinical trials of our seasonal influenza VLP vaccine," said Dr. Rahul Singhvi, president and CEO of Novavax. "We also observed robust HAI responses among subjects in the clinical trial of our seasonal flu vaccine, which we announced last December, including responses against drifted strains. We look forward to future studies to evaluate the breadth of the immune response induced by our VLP-based influenza vaccines."


ABOUT NOVAVAX


Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company creating novel vaccines, including H1N1, to address a broad range of infectious diseases worldwide using advanced proprietary virus-like-particle (VLP) technology. The company produces these VLP-based, potent, recombinant vaccines utilizing new and efficient manufacturing approaches.


Forward Looking Statement


Statements herein relating to future financial or business performance, conditions or strategies and other financial and business matters, including expectations regarding revenues, operating expenses, cash burn, and clinical developments and anticipated milestones are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or historical experience include risks and uncertainties, including the Company's ability to progress any product candidates in preclinical or clinical trials; the scope, rate and progress of its preclinical studies and clinical trials and other research and development activities; clinical trial results; current results may not be predictive of future results; even if the data from preclinical studies or clinical trials is positive, the product may not prove to be safe and efficacious; Novavax's pilot plant facility is subject to extensive validation and FDA inspections, which may result in delays and increase d costs; our ability to enter into future collaborations with industry partners and the government and the terms, timing and success of any such collaboration; the cost of filing, prosecuting, defending and enforcing any patent claims and other intellectual property rights; our ability to obtain rights to technology; competition for clinical resources and patient enrollment from drug candidates in development by other companies with greater resources and visibility; our ability to obtain adequate financing in the future through product licensing, co-promotional arrangements, public or private equity or debt financing or otherwise; the maturity of the convertible notes on July 15, 2009; general business conditions; competition; business abilities and judgment of personnel; and the availability of qualified personnel. Further information on the factors and risks that could affect Novavax's business, financial conditions and results of operations, is contained in Novavax's filings with the U.S.


Source: Novavax, Inc

A New Way To Predict Outbreaks: Replikin Peptide Concentration In H5N1 Influenza Virus Genome As A Marker For Lethal Outbreaks

WHO and CDC have stated that the
predictive accuracy of their annual formulations for human influenza
vaccines is "suboptimal" -- often correct less than 50% of the time,
especially for seniors. Perhaps in part because we are not yet accurate in
our predictions of upcoming influenza strains, approximately 36,000 people
die each year of flu in the United States alone.



As in the case of hurricanes, early warning of the location and
intensity of virus outbreaks would allow us more rapidly and effectively to
defend ourselves with strain-specific vaccines. This is now possible.



To provide this vital knowledge, Drs. Samuel and Elenore Bogoch of the
Foundation for Research on the Nervous System and Replikins Ltd. of Boston
("Replikins") are presenting new technology at the 7th International Bird
Flu Summit in Las Vegas November 13-14, 2008 that can accurately predict
which viral strains are poised to attack human populations, and reveal the
location from which this viral strain is going to strike. This service is
being offered to WHO and CDC.



The key to this predictive technology is a new class of structural
virus peptides that have been shown to be involved in the chemistry of
rapid replication. The Drs. Bogoch called them "Replikins," and they are
strictly defined by the concentration of lysine and histidine residues and
the spacing between them. To demonstrate the correlation between the
concentration of replikins and the lethality of influenza virus outbreaks,
Replikins Ltd. has developed software called FluForecast(R), which counts
the number of replikins in the sequences of each strain of flu virus across
the years -- and thanks to the data in public databases like PubMed, we now
can track as far as 90 years back.



What Replikins have found is that there's a strong correlation between
the concentration of replikins and the lethality of an influenza virus
outbreak. This allows us to determine in advance, using newly designed
software, which viruses have the highest replikin concentrations -- and are
thus poised to become the most lethal outbreak.



Replikin peptides are not distributed equally throughout the virus
genome, but are concentrated in a specific area of the genome designated
the Replikin Peak Gene (RPGene). When the replikin counts for certain viral
strains are elevated, we see pandemics -- in which one to 50 million people
die. Note that the replikins, like the pandemics, are strain-specific.



From its observations Replikins were able to predict an impending
increase in human H5N1 mortality rate. In each host group -- goose, duck,
chicken and human -- levels stayed low through 2004. But then Replikins saw
a sudden spike in replikins particularly in chicken and human populations
in 2005-06, which corresponded with increased epidemics in Asian countries.
Which countries? Here again, Replikins looked at H5N1 replikin counts per
country. Low levels - - below 4 -- were observed in each country until
2005-06, when it spiked most dramatically in Indonesia. Replikins thus
predicted that Indonesia would be the first country to experience an H5N1
outbreak with higher human mortality, and this was proven to be correct in
2006-07.
















So Replikins have demonstrated that tracking replikin counts not only
works historically, but it can predict impending human mortality. Sequence
the virus and you can tell whether it's relatively benign or likely to
cause a pandemic -- the first time this has been possible.



Replikins is offering its FluForecast(R) service to WHO and CDC as a
powerful new tool for tracking the appearance and lethality of new flu
strains. By performing prompt replikin analysis of all human influenza
sequences as they emerge, we can have advance warning of the intensity and
location of future human influenza outbreaks. This will increase the
accuracy of annual formulations for influenza vaccines, and will thereby
hopefully reduce annual human influenza mortality rates. It is hoped that
tracking replikins will save lives.



Beyond prediction, this new replikin-based technology also can be
applied to combat influenza -- and to develop new vaccines that are more
accurate and effective than current technology provides. Replikins have
successfully demonstrated this capability when used against a virus in
shrimp, which are susceptible to several devastating viral diseases. The
replikin-based vaccine developed by Replikins to combat Taura Syndrome
virus had a stunning result on the test population, protecting 91% of the
shrimp against this deadly virus. Replikin vaccines work orally -- and can
be synthesized far more quickly than conventional viral vaccines. The
vaccine used to save the shrimp was manufactured in seven days. You can
imagine what this type of rapid lead time would allow for making on-demand
strain-specific influenza vaccines, which with traditional methods must be
prepared nine months up to a year in advance.



Replikins is working to expand the capabilities of this vaccine
technology and looks forward to making significant inroads to control H5N1
and other influenza populations.



Replikins are the viral tool of the future -- making accurate
predictions in humans and animals now, through the FluForecast(R) service,
and hopefully becoming a front-line weapon to stop viral pandemics in the
future.



Contact: John McKenney, Replikins Ltd., 617-536-0220. An expanded
version of this press release, with charts and additional data, will be
posted on Replikins' website -- Replikins -- on November
13th.



This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information,
visit ereleases.


Replikins Ltd.

Replikins

Indonesia Country Report Added To 2nd Bird Flu Summit In Washington DC, June 28th & 29th

New-Fields Exhibitions today announced Dr. Sardikin Giriputro,
Hospital Deputy Head, Sulianto Saroso Hospital for Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Hariadi
Wibisono, Director of Vector-Borne Diseases Control Program Division of Indonesia will be
providing up-to-date presentations on the status of the current human cases of Avian Influenza.


"This is a tremendously important time for this issue," remarked Samir Farajallah, President
and CEO of New-Fields Exhibitions. "Given the new development in Indonesia and the sudden jump
in human Avian Influenza, now more than ever it is critical to work together on this global threat.


Dr. Giriputro's and Dr. Wibisono's presentations will be pivotal in helping to understand the
current situation in Indonesia."


Indonesia's Ministry of Health recently confirmed 6 new cases of human Avian Influenza. 3 of these
cases were fatal. These newly confirmed cases bring the cumulative total in Indonesia to 48.Of
these cases, 36 were fatal.


Since the first historic Bird Flu Summit, held in Washington, DC in February, the confirmed number
of human cases of avian influenza has reached 218 worldwide; 57% of those cases were fatal.


In addition to featuring speakers from around the world including country reports from Egypt, Indonesia,
Turkey,and Russia; the 2nd Bird Flu Summit will also be featuring addresses from key experts such as the
Department of Homeland Security's Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Preparedness, Robert Zitz.


The conference will also be hosting many other government, business and international officials eager to
continue to the networking and preparedness planning that has been on-going since the international rise
in Avian Flu cases.


The first conference was received with great success featuring keynote speakers: Dr. David Nabarro -
U.N. System Senior Coordinator for Avian Influenza; and Koos Van der Velden - Chairman, European Influenza
Surveillance Scheme. The second conference is set to exceed expectations, carrying forward the momentum
that was created in the first conference and with which is critical for collaborative preparedness planning
and partnerships.


Other topics include


-- Country Report and Situation Updates

-- Surveillance and Data Management

-- Preparing Communities Strategies

-- Local Partnership and Participation

-- Vaccine Delivery, Emergency Response

-- Hospital/Health Care Coordination, and much more.


To obtain further information about the conference, please contact the Washington DC office at 202.536.5000
or visit us at new-fields.


New Fields Exhibitions, Inc. is a leading emerging markets and business information provider, producing
trade shows that produce results for companies worldwide. With offices in Washington, DC and overseas, the
company provides marketing services in the areas of construction, energy, oil & gas, telecommunications and
health care.

Bird Flu Confirmed In Bangladesh Said WHO

Independent laboratory tests confirmed that a 16 month old baby boy in Bangladesh, who is now recovered, had bird flu, a spokesman for the
World Health Organisation (WHO) said earlier today, Friday.


As this is the first confirmed case of bird flu in Bangladesh, it brings to 15 the total number of countries with recorded human infections of the deadly
H5N2 avian flu virus.


WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told Reuters:


"The case was confirmed by CDC [US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] in Atlanta. It is the first in Bangladesh."


The toddler became ill in January this year, and has since made a full recovery, said Hartl. Although the health authorities in Bangladesh reported the
suspected case straight away, it took time for a sample from the baby to be sent and tested in the US, he said.


The Bangladeshi authorities found H5N1 in poultry for the first time in March last year, and have since destroyed about 2 million eggs and 2 million
chickens, reported Reuters.


The virus has now spread to chickens, ducks and wild birds in virtually the whole country: it has been found in 47 of the country's 64 districts.



Hartl said it was inevitable, once the disease became endemic in birds, that it would one day infect a human, but it was still important to
control it in the bird population to reduce the chance of human infection.


Bangladesh is a poor country of around 150 million people with a growing poultry industry that has been hard hit by these events.


According to Bangladeshi government figures reported by the BBC, the culling has resulted in losses totalling 60 million US dollars and more than 1.5
million workers have lost their jobs.


Experts believe that it is only a matter of time before H5N1, which is mutating all the time, transforms into a strain that can spread easily among
humans and kills millions of people worldwide. At the moment humans can only catch it by handling infected birds, and even then, it is quite hard to
become infected.


However, the Bangladeshi health authorities are mystified as to how the little boy caught the virus because he lives in a densely populated slum area
of the capital Dhaka, far away from poultry farms, said a BBC reporter in Dhaka.


According to WHO, until this most recent confirmed case, the latest global figures for bird flu infections in humans, updated at the end of April,
showed 14 countries have had confirmed reports of bird flu in humans since 2003. The global total of human cases is 382 (now 383), of whom 241
have died.


Sources: Reuters India, WHO, BBC.


Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD

Nobilon, BioDiem And Leading U.S. Scientists Developing Pandemic Avian Flu Vaccine

Scientists at Akzo Nobel's Nobilon International human vaccines business working to fight the threat of a global bird flu pandemic have received a major boost following the signing of a cooperative research and development agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States.



The agreement-co-signed with Nobilon's international partner, Australian-based BioDiem Ltd-involves the development of a live attenuated cold-adapted cell culture vaccine against the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus. According to experts at the World Health Organization, a live vaccine would offer better and broader protection in the event of a pandemic outbreak.



In 2004, the two companies agreed a licensing deal for BioDiem's cold-adapted intranasal flu vaccine and this technology will now be advanced through pre-clinical development at the CDC in its high-security laboratories in an effort to develop a vaccine which will protect against highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses that pose a pandemic threat. "This is an extremely important collaborative agreement which could prove crucial in our efforts to develop a vaccine for one of the world's leading health risks," said Toon Wilderbeek, Akzo Nobel's Board member responsible for Pharma. "A key challenge for developers of potential pandemic vaccines is sufficient supply. One of Nobilon's main areas of cutting-edge expertise is in cell culture production to provide benefits of scale-up, speed and efficiency. This is vital to any effective vaccination program." The cooperative research-to be carried out over two years at Boxmeer in the Netherlands and Atlanta in the United States-will generate, characterize and evaluate in pre-clinical models, live attenuated cold-adapted influenza vaccine (LAIV) candidates against influenza H5N1 viruses.



A live attenuated influenza vaccine has been shown to have a number of advantages. It can trigger a broader immune response than inactivated influenza vaccines in children, as well as allowing for a single dose of a smaller amount of vaccine to provide meaningful protection, compared with currently available inactivated vaccines. The U.S. government has also recently acknowledged that cell culture production of influenza vaccines may provide a superior service compared with the traditional supply based on embryonated eggs. This is because the production timeline may be shortened and vaccine production may be increased with fewer delays.



Pharmaceutical development company BioDiem's existing agreement with Nobilon gives the Akzo Nobel business access to BioDiem's technological expertise in influenza vaccines. Nobilon also has exclusive rights to manufacture, market and sell BioDiem's intranasal influenza vaccine in a number of key world markets.




















Akzo Nobel is a Global Fortune 500 company and is listed on both the Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ stock exchanges. It is also included on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and FTSE4Good Index. Based in the Netherlands, we are a multicultural organization serving customers throughout the world with human and animal healthcare products, coatings, and chemicals. We employ around 62,440 people and conduct our activities in four segments - human and animal health, coatings and chemicals - subdivided into 13 business units, with operating subsidiaries in more than 80 countries. Consolidated revenues for 2005 totaled EUR 13.0 billion. The financial results for the third quarter will be published on October 18, 2006. Internet: akzonobel
Safe Harbor Statement*
This press release may contain statements which address such key issues as Akzo Nobel's growth strategy, future financial results, market positions, product development, pharmaceutical products in the pipeline, and product approvals. Such statements should be carefully considered, and it should be understood that many factors could cause forecasted and actual results to differ from these statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, price fluctuations, currency fluctuations, progress of drug development, clinical testing and regulatory approval, developments in raw material and personnel costs, pensions, physical and environmental risks, legal issues, and legislative, fiscal, and other regulatory measures. Stated competitive positions are based on management estimates supported by information provided by specialized external agencies. For a more comprehensive discussion of the risk factors affecting our business please see our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, a copy of which can be found on the company's corporate website akzonobel.



* Pursuant to the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 1995.



For further information please go to:
Akzo Nobel

Migratory birds in Mongolia have H5N1 bird flu, Wildlife Conservation Society

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has positively identified the pathogenic form of avian flu--H5N1--in samples taken from birds last week in Mongolia by field veterinarians from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). It is the first instance of this viral strain occurring in wild migratory birds with no apparent contact to domestic poultry or waterfowl.


Present in Mongolia for a health survey of wild bird populations in the south and north of the country, WCS field vets Drs. William Karesh and Martin Gilbert responded to initial reports of the most recent avian influenza outbreak in Kovsgol Province near the Russian border from the Mongolian Ministry of Food and Agriculture, which conducted preliminary testing of birds that died at Erkhel Lake. Their finding coincided with confirmations of cases of avian influenza in Russia and Kazakhstan. Karesh and Gilbert immediately traveled to the site with a team of Mongolian virologists, veterinarians, and public health officials. Approximately 100 dead birds were found at the site.


The team--including personnel from WCS, the Mongolian National Academy of Sciences, the Mongolian Institute of Veterinary Medicine, the State Central Veterinary Laboratory, Ministry of Food and Agriculture Veterinary Department, and the Ministry of Health Mongolian Center of Communicable Diseases with Natural Foci--collected samples from hundreds of wild birds, both live and dead including, ruddy shelduck, herring gull, black-headed gull, bar-headed goose, whooper swan, and Eurasian wigeon that are all at risk for contracting the virus.


Recent reports of influenza outbreaks in wild birds in China and Russia have failed to put die-offs in perspective with the numbers of unaffected birds, thus there was no way to assess the impact. The WCS team at Erkhel Lake in Mongolia collected this information for the first time. Overall, over 6,500 apparently healthy birds of 55 species were observed on the lake. The percentage of sick or dead birds was miniscule according to Gilbert following the survey, suggesting that either the virus had little effect on the birds or that very few were actually infected by the bug. Early results suggest that it may be the latter.


Supported by the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (F.A.O.), the team has sent the samples (774 in total) to the U.S.D.A.'s Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Georgia, for further testing to determine whether this virus is the H5N1 strain that has killed over 50 people in Southeast Asia and more than 5,000 wild birds in western China. As of today, preliminary tests from one dead whooper swan collected in Mongolia have shown the presence of the H5N1 strain of Avian Influenza using RT-PCR, while results from 30 live whooper swans living at the same site and also a nearby lake were negative for the virus. Samples collected from other live birds at the two sites, including sixty ruddy shelducks, twenty-four bar-headed geese, and twenty-five black-headed gulls, were found to be negative for the virus.















Whereas prior outbreaks in wild birds have happened either in close proximity to infected domestic poultry and waterfowl, or in regions where such contact could not be excluded, Mongolia's paucity of domestic poultry suggests a new vector of avian flu. Finding the H5N1 strain during this expedition suggests that while the highly pathogenic avian influenza can be carried across long distances, the waterfowl species typically identified in recent outbreaks appear to be victims rather than effective carriers of the disease.


The multidisciplinary, collaborative response to this latest outbreak reflects the WCS One World-One Health approach to making informed, multidisciplinary decisions on global health crises that intersect human, wildlife, and livestock health. WCS experts are warning that to contain this potential epidemic, prevention activities must include better management practices in farms, especially those that are small and open-air, where domestic poultry and waterfowl are allowed to intermingle with wild birds. Officials would also need to monitor wildlife markets, where wild and domesticated species are kept in close proximity, and risk exposure to a wide range of pathogens.



Wildlife and health experts, including the F.A.O., maintain that indiscriminate culling of wild migratory bird populations would be ineffective in preventing the spread of avian flu. "Focusing our limited resources on the hubs and activities where humans, livestock, and wildlife come into close contact," says Dr. William Karesh, Director of WCS's Field Veterinary Program, who lead the WCS team in Mongolia, is "the best hope for successfully preventing the spread of avian flu and protecting both people and animals."


John Delaney

jdelaneywcs

718-220-3275

Wildlife Conservation Society

wcs

Insights Into Cell Specificity Of Human Vs. Avian Viruses

Researchers have identified which sites and cell types within the respiratory tract are targeted by human versus avian influenza viruses, providing valuable insights into the pathogenesis of these divergent diseases. The report by van Riel et al, "Human and avian influenza viruses target different cells in the lower respiratory tract of humans and other mammals," appears in the October issue of The American Journal of Pathology and is accompanied by a commentary and highlighted on the cover.



Differences in cellular expression of target molecules correspond to host specificity of influenza viruses. They also define which organs or tissues are infected within the host. For example, highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus targets cells deep within the lower respiratory tract whereas human influenza virus is thought to target cells of the upper respiratory tract, including the trachea.



To better elucidate the differences between low and highly pathogenic avian influenza virus versus human influenza virus, researchers led by Dr. Thijs Kuiken of Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, used a technique called virus histochemistry. This method examines the attachment pattern of influenza virus to isolated respiratory tissues, thus identifying the cells targeted by the virus.



When human viruses were tested, both attached strongly to the trachea and bronchi, but virus binding to the bronchioles and alveoli (deeper within the lung) was less abundant in comparison. In contrast, viral attachment of avian viruses was rare in the trachea but more abundant in the bronchioles and alveoli. Further, the cellular targets in the alveoli also differed: human virus preferred type I pneumocytes whereas avian virus bound type II pneumocytes and alveolar macrophages. Interestingly, low and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses attached to the same cell types, demonstrating that factors other than binding ability must contribute to the pathogenicity.



These data are consistent with the differences in human disease presentation, with human influenza causing tracheobronchitis and highly pathogenic avian influenza causing severe pneumonia. But which animal models are the best for studying the disease in humans" To answer this question, the authors next assessed the pattern of virus attachment in animal models used for influenza studies. Of several mammals tested, ferrets, cats, and pigs most closely resembled the human patterns of virus attachment for avian influenza viruses, thus demonstrating their usefulness as models of infection and disease.



These studies "improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of human respiratory tract disease from both human and avian influenza A virus infection," state the authors. Combined with the results obtained with different animal models, they may lead to a better understanding of the factors that are critical for virus binding and infection, enabling the future development and testing of feasible control strategies.







This work was supported by the VIRGO Consortium, an Innovative Cluster approved by the Netherlands Genomics Initiative, and partially funded by the Dutch Government, The Netherlands.



van Riel D, Munster VJ, de Wit E, Rimmelzwaan GF, Fouchier RAM, Osterhaus ADME, Kuiken T. Human and avian influenza viruses target different cells in the lower respiratory tract of humans and other mammals. Am J Pathol 2007, 171:1215-1223



Commentary: Mansfield KG. Viral tropism and the pathogenesis of influenza in the mammalian host. Am J Pathol 2007, 171: 1089-1092
For more information on Dr. Kuiken, please contact The Department of Communication of Erasmus MC



The American Journal of Pathology, the official journal of the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP), seeks to publish high-quality original papers on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of disease. The editors accept manuscripts which report important findings on disease pathogenesis or basic biological mechanisms that relate to disease, without preference for a specific method of analysis. High priority is given to studies on human disease and relevant experimental models using cellular, molecular, biological, animal, chemical and immunological approaches in conjunction with morphology.



Source: Audra Cox


American Journal of Pathology