Key Step Bird Flu Virus Takes To Spread Readily In Humans Identified (Science Daily) Since it first appeared in Hong Kong in 1997, the H5N1 avian flu virus has been slowly evolving into a pathogen better equipped to infect humans. The final form of the virus, biomedical researchers fear, will be a highly pathogenic strain of influenza that spreads easily among humans. [News Source]

Bird flu virus mutating into human-unfriendly form (Environmental News Network) NEW YORK (Reuters) - The H5N1 bird flu virus has mutated to infect people more easily, although it still has not transformed into a pandemic strain, researchers said on Thursday. The changes are worrying, said Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "We have identified a specific change that could make bird flu grow in the upper respiratory tract of humans," said ... [News Source]

Researchers identify key step bird flu virus takes to spread readily in humans (EurekAlert!) MADISON - Since it first appeared in Hong Kong in 1997, the H5N1 avian flu virus has been slowly evolving into a pathogen better equipped to infect humans. The final form of the virus, biomedical researchers fear, will be a highly pathogenic strain of influenza that spreads easily among humans. [News Source]

Bird flu virus mutating into human-unfriendly form (Reuters via Yahoo! News) The H5N1 bird flu virus has mutated to infect people more easily, although it still has not transformed into a pandemic strain, researchers said on Thursday. [News Source]

Abuse of Tamiflu can create bird flu resistant strains: study (AFP via Yahoo! News) Swedish scientists say that Tamiflu -- the frontline weapon in any bird-flu pandemic -- cannot be broken down by sewage systems and this could help the virus mutate dangerously into a drug-resistant strain. [News Source]

Border agents seize hunters’ birds amid Canada bird flu scare, although virus isn’t the one that’s caused worldwide … (Crookston Daily Times) ST. PAUL (AP) - U.S. Customs officials in Minnesota and North Dakota seized more than 4,100 birds from hunters re-entering the United States from Canada following an outbreak of avian flu at a commercial chicken farm near Regina, Saskatchewan. [News Source]

Border agents seize hunters’ birds amid Canada bird flu scare (Winona Daily News) ST. PAUL — U.S. Customs officials in Minnesota and North Dakota seized more than 4,100 birds from hunters re-entering the United States from Canada following an outbreak of avian flu at a commercial chicken farm near Regina, Saskatchewan. [News Source]