Mild avian flu virus suspected in West Virginia turkeys (CIDRAP) Apr 2, 2007 (CIDRAP News) – Officials in West Virginia yesterday planned to cull about 25,000 turkeys at a farm after routine tests indicated that some were probably exposed to a low-pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza virus, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced yesterday. [News Source]

Egypt, China Report New Human Cases of Avian Influenza (U.S. Department of State) Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population and China’s Ministry of Health report on new verified infections in their countries, bringing the total number of human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza to 288, with 170 deaths, as global efforts to combat the disease continue. In the United States, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is awarding $23 million a year for ... [News Source]

FAO sees good and bad news as avian flu persists (CIDRAP) Apr 2, 2007 (CIDRAP New) – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) gave a good news–bad news assessment of the global avian flu situation today, after a weekend that brought word of more outbreaks on farms in Bangladesh and Vietnam. [News Source]

UC Davis Wins New National Center for Avian Flu Research (UC Davis) UC Davis today was named a partner in a new $18.5 million national research center that will study influenza viruses with pandemic potential, such as avian influenza H5N1 ("bird flu"). [News Source]

New center at U to help fight bird flu (Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune) University of Minnesota scientists will be at the forefront of the race to find a vaccine to prevent the worldwide spread of bird flu, having won a $22.5 million federal contract to track the disease. The U's new Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance is one of six centers across the nation to receive seven-year contracts. Eventually 60 to 70 people will be working with the ... [News Source]

Bird flu may spread from Indonesia, Egypt, Nigeria: FAO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu may spread from Indonesia, Egypt and Nigeria to other countries as it continues to circulate in Africa and Asia, the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday. [News Source]

Bird flu outbreaks subsiding: FAO (AFP via Yahoo! News) Bird flu is on the decline around the world, the UN food agency said Monday, while warning that the potentially deadly disease is still spreading where containment is inadequate. [News Source]

Sector Snap: Avian Flu vaccines (Sharewatch) Rockville, Md.-based Novavax Inc. said Monday its virus-like particle vaccine, which mimics a virus, was effective in evoking an immune response in ferrets and protecting against the H9N2 strain. The vaccine has previously been tested in mice with the H9N2 strain of avian influenza, or bird flu. [News Source]

Sector Snap: Avian Flu Vaccines (AP via Yahoo! Finance) Positive preclinical results from a bird flu vaccine helped boost several companies working to develop similar technology as fears over a possible pandemic linger. [News Source]

Three children in Egypt test positive for bird flu (Honolulu Advertiser) Egypt said three children tested positive for bird flu on Saturday, as the country hardest-hit by the virus outside Asia struggles to control the disease in fowl. [News Source]

Myanmar reports new bird flu outbreak. Myanmar reported a new outbreak of H5N1 bird flu on Monday, the country's fifth bout with the deadly virus strain in as many weeks. [News Source]

T-bone clone: FDA to lift food ban tied to new science. Regulators are taking a giant step closer today to let stores and restaurants sell cloned T-bone steaks and pork chops - all designed to be tastier, healthier and cheaper. [News Source]