USDA prepares for possible return of bird flu this fall
A top veterinary official with the U.S. Department of Agriculture says more money, surveillance and farm security is needed to fight off a possible return of bird flu this fall.
View ArticleBritain confirms bird flu outbreak, 'low' public risk
British authorities on Monday confirmed an outbreak at a farm of a strain of avian flu that is both highly contagious and potentially deadly for birds, but said the risk to people was very low.
View ArticleGhana bans sale, movement of live poultry to stop bird flu spread
Ghana has banned the sale and transport of live poultry after the H5N1 virus killed thousands of birds, while there has been no record of human infection, the ministry of agriculture has said.
View ArticleUN needs $20 million to battle bird flu in West Africa
The UN appealed on Monday for $20 million to stem outbreaks of bird flu in West Africa, a region still weakened by the Ebola crisis.
View ArticleThe case for unlimited tablet time for toddlers
This sounds extreme, but first let me ask: how many parents do you think actually keep track of their kids' screen time? If the TV is on but one of the children wanders out of the room, does that...
View ArticleUSDA secretary not ready to declare bird flu outbreak over
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday that he's not ready to declare the Midwest bird flu outbreak over even though no new cases of the H5N2 virus have been detected over for over a month.
View ArticleUniversal flu vaccine in the works
Each year, scientists create an influenza (flu) vaccine that protects against a few specific influenza strains that researchers predict are going to be the most common during that year. Now, a new...
View ArticleMowing dry detention basins makes mosquito problems worse, team finds
A study of the West Nile virus risk associated with "dry" water-detention basins in Central Illinois took an unexpected turn when land managers started mowing the basins. The mowing of wetland plants...
View ArticleUSDA: Bird flu vaccine works on chickens; testing on turkeys
Scientists have developed a vaccine strain that has tested 100 percent effective in protecting chickens from bird flu and testing is underway to see if it also protects turkeys, U.S. Agriculture...
View ArticleVeterinarians offer tips for preventing bird flu in backyard chickens
With a potential increase in avian influenza this fall when wild waterfowl migrate south from their northern breeding grounds, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine reminds chicken owners to be...
View ArticleMost chicken, turkey farms affected by bird flu can restock
Most commercial chicken and turkey farms that were infected by the bird flu have been cleared to restock, agriculture officials said Friday, but scientists still will keep a close eye on migrating...
View ArticleA tick that feeds on birds may increase the range of Lyme disease
If you have lived in the northeastern United States any time in the last 25 years or so, you have almost certainly heard of Lyme disease. You may have scrutinized odd-looking insect bites, wondering if...
View ArticleS. Korea bans imports of French poultry
South Korea has imposed a ban on imports of French poultry and live birds after the European country reported a bird flu outbreak.
View ArticleFrench poultry exports hit by bird flu: ministry
A string of countries in Asia and north Africa have banned imports of French poultry following a bird flu outbreak, the agriculture ministry said Thursday in Paris.
View ArticleMinnesota lifts final remaining bird flu quarantines
Minnesota has lifted the last remaining quarantines on poultry farms that were infected with a deadly form of bird flu, officials announced Tuesday, marking a milestone in the state's recovery from an...
View ArticleNew approach needed for governance of risky research, scholars say
The United States needs to build a better governance regime for oversight of risky biological research to reduce the likelihood of a bioengineered super virus escaping from the lab or being...
View ArticleChinese woman dies of H5N6 bird flu, another woman critical
Health authorities in southern China said Tuesday that a 26-year-old woman has died of a strain of bird flu, and another woman is reportedly in serious condition.
View ArticleBackyard chickens harbor greater diversity of ticks, mites, and lice than...
Backyard chickens may live a sweeter life than chickens on commercial poultry farms, but roaming green grass and scratching real dirt exposes these birds to a different suite of parasites than those...
View ArticleDeadly bacteria more prevalent than previously thought: study
An often deadly and difficult to treat bacterial disease is much more prevalent than previously thought and kills tens of thousands of people worldwide each year, researchers said Monday.
View ArticleScientists discover bird blood cell which destroys fatal fungal infection
Scientists have discovered that a specialised white blood cell found in birds can destroy a potentially fatal fungal infection which affects more than one million people every year.
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