鳳頭鷹對Ｈ５Ｎ１病毒測試呈陽性反應
漁農自然護理署（漁護署）今日（一月十七日）表示，較早前在石硤尾撿獲的鳳頭鷹屍體經多項測試後，證實對Ｈ５Ｎ１病毒測試呈陽性反應。
漁護署職員一月九日經市民轉介，在石硤尾健康院後山撿獲該死鳥。
該署發言人提醒市民注意個人生，避免接觸野生雀鳥及活家禽，並在接觸禽鳥後洗手。
２００７年１月１７日（星期三）
香港時間１１時３１分
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200701/17/P200701170108.htm
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Dead bird in Hong Kong tests positive for H5N1 virus
A wild bird found dead in Hong Kong was infected with the fatal H5N1 strain of bird flu, the government confirmed Saturday.
The bird, from a local species called the scaly-breasted munia, was discovered in the busy shopping area of Causeway Bay on December 31.
It was the only one of six dead birds found that tested positive for the deadly virus, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Saturday.
Department officials have said winter was the migratory bird season, posing higher risks of bird flu.
The department urged residents Saturday to be vigilant against bird flu, which has killed more than 150 people throughout the world.
"They should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them," a department spokesman said.
Source: http://www.physorg.com/news87299505.html
The bird, from a local species called the scaly-breasted munia, was discovered in the busy shopping area of Causeway Bay on December 31.
It was the only one of six dead birds found that tested positive for the deadly virus, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Saturday.
Department officials have said winter was the migratory bird season, posing higher risks of bird flu.
The department urged residents Saturday to be vigilant against bird flu, which has killed more than 150 people throughout the world.
"They should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them," a department spokesman said.
Source: http://www.physorg.com/news87299505.html
Monday, December 18, 2006
Bird Flu Vaccine Approved
LONDON (Reuters) - A first-generation experimental bird flu vaccine for use in humans from GlaxoSmithKline Plc has won outline support from European regulators.
The European Medicines Agency said on Friday it had recommended granting a license to Daronrix, a "mock-up" vaccine that could be used as the base for producing a shot to protect people in the event of a pandemic triggered by bird flu.
Daronrix is the first vaccine to have been given such endorsement...
Glaxo, like several of its rivals, is also working on a second-generation vaccine against the H5N1 virus strain that causes bird flu and it said it planned to submit this product for regulatory approval within the next few weeks.
This second vaccine could potentially be used as part of a pre-pandemic vaccination campaign, helping to prepare the human immune system in advance of a pandemic.
The newer vaccine -- which Glaxo has already sold to some governments -- also has the added benefit of needing very little antigen to produce a strong immune response, allowing for production of large quantities for mass vaccination.
Source: http://maconareaonline.com/news.asp?id=15893
The European Medicines Agency said on Friday it had recommended granting a license to Daronrix, a "mock-up" vaccine that could be used as the base for producing a shot to protect people in the event of a pandemic triggered by bird flu.
Daronrix is the first vaccine to have been given such endorsement...
Glaxo, like several of its rivals, is also working on a second-generation vaccine against the H5N1 virus strain that causes bird flu and it said it planned to submit this product for regulatory approval within the next few weeks.
This second vaccine could potentially be used as part of a pre-pandemic vaccination campaign, helping to prepare the human immune system in advance of a pandemic.
The newer vaccine -- which Glaxo has already sold to some governments -- also has the added benefit of needing very little antigen to produce a strong immune response, allowing for production of large quantities for mass vaccination.
Source: http://maconareaonline.com/news.asp?id=15893
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Disease Trackers Miss Flu Cases By Testing Birds at `Wrong End'
By John Lauerman
Dec. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Disease trackers in countries including the U.S. are missing bird flu cases when they test only fecal samples without checking the mouth for the virus, a top researcher said today.
Birds that show no avian influenza in standard fecal and rectal exams may be able to spread the virus on their breath, said Robert Webster, a bird flu expert at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Experiments by Erasmus University virologist Albert Osterhaus and Webster show that H5N1-infected birds may have as much as 10 times more virus in their upper airways than in their excrement.
``In many cases, we're testing the wrong end of the duck,'' Webster said in an interview in Singapore...
Research by Webster and Osterhaus has shown that sampling excrement and the end of the birds' digestive tract, called the cloaca, is no longer sufficient because of H5N1 is focused in the birds' airway. Osterhaus, who is developing a comprehensive European bird monitoring program called Newflubird said that protocols are challenging some countries ethical standards for animal treatment.
For Full Article: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aWDFZ8fEXgv8
Dec. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Disease trackers in countries including the U.S. are missing bird flu cases when they test only fecal samples without checking the mouth for the virus, a top researcher said today.
Birds that show no avian influenza in standard fecal and rectal exams may be able to spread the virus on their breath, said Robert Webster, a bird flu expert at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Experiments by Erasmus University virologist Albert Osterhaus and Webster show that H5N1-infected birds may have as much as 10 times more virus in their upper airways than in their excrement.
``In many cases, we're testing the wrong end of the duck,'' Webster said in an interview in Singapore...
Research by Webster and Osterhaus has shown that sampling excrement and the end of the birds' digestive tract, called the cloaca, is no longer sufficient because of H5N1 is focused in the birds' airway. Osterhaus, who is developing a comprehensive European bird monitoring program called Newflubird said that protocols are challenging some countries ethical standards for animal treatment.
For Full Article: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aWDFZ8fEXgv8
Monday, December 11, 2006
Bird Flu Outbreak In Quail Farm In South Korea
An outbreak of H5N1 bird flu was confirmed at a quail farm in Kimje, South Korea, say officials from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The farm has 270,000 quail. Authorities are currently removing the quail from the farm and have set up a quarantine zone around the area to stem the spread of the disease. All poultry within 500 meters of the farm will be destroyed, say officials.
This is be the country's third outbreak in one month. On November 18th and November 26th there were two outbreaks in two separate chicken farms - both farms are within a 22 km radius of the infected quail farm.
So far, no humans have become ill, say ministry officials.
Approximately 3,000 quail died of bird flu during the weekend.
Since 2003 over 5 million poultry have been destroyed in South Korea, in measures to prevent the spread of bird flu.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=58667
The farm has 270,000 quail. Authorities are currently removing the quail from the farm and have set up a quarantine zone around the area to stem the spread of the disease. All poultry within 500 meters of the farm will be destroyed, say officials.
This is be the country's third outbreak in one month. On November 18th and November 26th there were two outbreaks in two separate chicken farms - both farms are within a 22 km radius of the infected quail farm.
So far, no humans have become ill, say ministry officials.
Approximately 3,000 quail died of bird flu during the weekend.
Since 2003 over 5 million poultry have been destroyed in South Korea, in measures to prevent the spread of bird flu.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=58667
Friday, December 8, 2006
New Research Predicts US Entry Of H5N1 Avian Influenza
December 8 2006.
Scientists at the Consortium for Conservation Medicine (CCM), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo report that H5N1 avian influenza is most likely to be introduced to countries in the Western Hemisphere through infected poultry trade.
Following the initial outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in Hong Kong, scientists and government officials worldwide have debated exactly how the virus was being spread and what could be done to stop it.
Dr. Marm Kilpatrick, senior research scientist with the Consortium for Conservation Medicine, led the team in their efforts to predict the most likely method of introduction to the U.S. Dr. Kilpatrick and colleagues predict that bird flu will most likely be introduced to countries in the Western Hemisphere through infected poultry trade rather than from migrating birds from eastern Siberia, as previously thought. The subsequent movement of infected migrating birds from countries south of the U.S. would be a likely pathway for H5N1 avian influenza to reach the USA.
The research will be published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December.
For full article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=58202
Scientists at the Consortium for Conservation Medicine (CCM), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo report that H5N1 avian influenza is most likely to be introduced to countries in the Western Hemisphere through infected poultry trade.
Following the initial outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in Hong Kong, scientists and government officials worldwide have debated exactly how the virus was being spread and what could be done to stop it.
Dr. Marm Kilpatrick, senior research scientist with the Consortium for Conservation Medicine, led the team in their efforts to predict the most likely method of introduction to the U.S. Dr. Kilpatrick and colleagues predict that bird flu will most likely be introduced to countries in the Western Hemisphere through infected poultry trade rather than from migrating birds from eastern Siberia, as previously thought. The subsequent movement of infected migrating birds from countries south of the U.S. would be a likely pathway for H5N1 avian influenza to reach the USA.
The research will be published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December.
For full article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=58202
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
South Korea targets dogs, pigs in H5N1 scare
AP, SEOUL
Wednesday, Nov 29, 2006, Page 5
An epidemic prevention vehicle sprays disinfectant at a chicken farm in Ulsan, 414km southeast of Seoul, South Korea, yesterday.
South Korean officials were planning yesterday to kill hundreds of dogs and pigs in an attempt to prevent the spread of bird flu after an outbreak among chickens, but experts questioned the merits of killing other animals to stem the disease.
A poultry slaughter began on Sunday, a day after the outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain was discovered at a farm in Iksan, about 250km south of Seoul.
The killing of 677 dogs and 300 pigs was scheduled for yesterday, but a lack of available workers could mean a delay, a city official said on condition of anonymity, saying he was not authorized to speak to media.
Approximately 236,000 chickens were also planned for slaughter and 6 million eggs will be destroyed, the Agriculture Ministry said.
International experts have questioned the necessity of killing non-poultry species to stem bird flu's spread, but South Korean officials said such a step was not unusual -- and has been taken in other countries without public knowledge.
Since ravaging Asia's poultry industry in late 2003, the H5N1 virus has killed at least 153 people worldwide.
Infections among people have been traced to contact with infected birds, but experts fear it could mutate into a form that infects humans and could create a human pandemic.
South Korea has also been hit by a low-grade strain of bird flu that is not believed to be harmful to humans.
Wednesday, Nov 29, 2006, Page 5
An epidemic prevention vehicle sprays disinfectant at a chicken farm in Ulsan, 414km southeast of Seoul, South Korea, yesterday.
South Korean officials were planning yesterday to kill hundreds of dogs and pigs in an attempt to prevent the spread of bird flu after an outbreak among chickens, but experts questioned the merits of killing other animals to stem the disease.
A poultry slaughter began on Sunday, a day after the outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain was discovered at a farm in Iksan, about 250km south of Seoul.
The killing of 677 dogs and 300 pigs was scheduled for yesterday, but a lack of available workers could mean a delay, a city official said on condition of anonymity, saying he was not authorized to speak to media.
Approximately 236,000 chickens were also planned for slaughter and 6 million eggs will be destroyed, the Agriculture Ministry said.
International experts have questioned the necessity of killing non-poultry species to stem bird flu's spread, but South Korean officials said such a step was not unusual -- and has been taken in other countries without public knowledge.
Since ravaging Asia's poultry industry in late 2003, the H5N1 virus has killed at least 153 people worldwide.
Infections among people have been traced to contact with infected birds, but experts fear it could mutate into a form that infects humans and could create a human pandemic.
South Korea has also been hit by a low-grade strain of bird flu that is not believed to be harmful to humans.
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