september 07 Health Alerts
Quick test for bird flu devised
24/09/07
Source: BBC Scientists in Singapore say they have created a hand-held device that can detect the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus within 30 minutes. They say it is able to isolate, purify and amplify the viral DNA from throat swab samples and then identify it. The hopes are that the kit could contain any outbreak much easier, as other available tests take at least several hours to produce results.
Writing in the journal Nature Medicine, the team of scientists from Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology says the new kit will be able to test people rapidly at the point of infection or at transport centres. They say the device is "equally sensitive and is 440% faster and 2,000-5,000% cheaper" than commercially available tests. The so-called mini-lab will be especially useful where basic health resources are lacking, the scientists say. They say the prototype has delivered accurate results within 28 minutes when tested on samples of the H5N1 virus.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/7009750.stm
China confirms outbreak in ducks in Guangzhou
18/09/07
China's Agriculture Ministry has confirmed a suspected outbreak of H5N1 bird flu among ducks in southern China . Deaths were reported on five farms in the Panyu district near Hong Kong starting September 5.At least 9,830 ducks have since been reported dead, with tests on tissue samples showing the presence of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. As of September 14, about 32,630 ducks had been slaughtered in an attempt to contain the outbreak.
Vietnam figures revised
01/09/07
With an improvement in the laboratory diagnosis of H5 virus detection as sponsored by the World Health Organisation the Ministry of Health of Viet Nam confirms the following 5 additional cases of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza, including 4 deaths, in the country.
Sex |
Age |
Location |
Onset date |
Hospitalized |
Outcome |
F |
28 |
Ha Nam |
3 Jun 07 |
6 Jun 07 |
Died 21 Jun 07 |
M |
29 |
Thanh Hoa |
30 May 07 |
31 May 07 |
Recovered |
M |
20 |
Ha Tay |
2 Jun 07 |
8 Jun 07 |
Died 10 Jun 07 |
F |
22 |
Ha Tay |
20 Jul 07 |
22 Jul 07 |
Died 28 Jul 07 |
M |
15 |
Thanh Hoa |
27 Jul 07 |
1 Aug 07 |
Died 3 Aug 07 |
