Immediate Treatment Needed for Bird Flu Cases, Study Says (New York Times) A new study found that avian flu virus reproduces so quickly that if not suppressed within 48 hours, it pushes victims toward death. [News Source]

Study: Bird flu demands speedy antiviral treatment (Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune) Avian flu kills in much the same way the global flu pandemic of 1918 did, by drowning victims in fluid produced in their own lungs, a new study has found. The study also suggests that treatment with antiviral drugs within the first 48 hours is crucial, because the virus reproduces so quickly that it tends to push victims into a rapid decline to death. "The paradigm 'hit hard and hit early' [News Source]

Indonesia pushes bird flu education (BBC News) Indonesian vets are visiting rural farmers to teach them about bird flu prevention, writes the BBC's Lucy Williamson. [News Source]

Bird flu: New study highlights need for early use of Tamiflu (AFP via Yahoo! News) New research conducted among bird-flu victims in Vietnam shows the H5N1 virus replicates massively before unleashing a dangerous inflammatory response by the immune system, indicating that patients should be given antiviral drugs as soon as possible. [News Source]

Bird flu triggers high and sustained virus buildup, cause of severe disease (CP via Yahoo! Canada News) (CP) - The severe disease that H5N1 avian flu provokes in people appears to be caused by the virus's ability to replicate at unusually high levels for a prolonged period - an overwhelming assault that triggers a massive and devastating immune system response, a new scientific paper suggests. [News Source]

Advice for bird flu: ‘Hit hard and early’ (International Herald Tribune) Avian flu kills in much the same way the 1918 flu did, by drowning victims in fluid produced in their own lungs, a new study has found. [News Source]

Study adds details on bird flu, humans (AP via Yahoo! News) When bird flu infects people, the virus is more concentrated in the throat than the nose, the opposite of human flu. This finding may help doctors more quickly diagnose the bird flu in people. [News Source]

Exodus, morale shake CDC. An exodus of key leaders and scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has raised "great concern" among five of the six former directors who led the agency over the past 40 years. [News Source]

COA CALLS FOR SETTING UP NETS TO PREVENT BIRD FLU OUTBREAKS (Central News Agency) Taipei, Sept. 10 (CNA) The Council of Agriculture (COA) called Sunday for chicken and pig farms to set up bird-proofing nets as soon as possible in an attempt to keep wild birds separated from poultry and pigs and prevent outbreaks of avian flu. [News Source]