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Mysterious disease kills indigenous tribe members in Venezuela
Scientists suspect bat-transmitted rabies, but without epidemiological studies and confirmatory lab work, that conclusion remains speculative
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Indonesia probes bird flu outbreak in Sumatra
Thirteen people in a Sumatra village taken ill with what Indonesian specialists think is a bird flu outbreak; the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has killed more than 240 people worldwide since late 2003; Indonesia is the country worst-hit by the virus
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New virus fights other viruses by spreading at their expense
Newly discovered virsu may help fight viral infections by hijacking the replication machinery of the lethal viruses; the new virsus — called Sputnik — is the first member of a new class they call “virophages”
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IG says delays in bioterrorism lab threatened D.C.'s capabilities
Washington, D.C. took ownership of the 5,285-square-foot Biosafety Level 3 lab, in which dangerous pathogens such as anthrax, tuberculosis, typhus, and yellow fever can be quickly analyzed; trouble is, the project is nine years behind schedule
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Bacteria were the real killers in 1918 flu pandemic
Medical and scientific experts now agree that bacteria, not influenza viruses, were the greatest cause of death during the 1918 flu pandemic
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Lawmaker likens Salmonella probe to Keystone Kops
The reason for what U.S. lawmakers regard as the bungled salmonella probe: One government agency probably zeroed in on tomatoes too early, the committee concluded, while a second failed to tap industry and states’ expertise in trying to trace the source of the contamination
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FDA finds Salmonella Saintpaul strain in irrigation water on Mexican farm
FDA said that jalapeno and serrano peppers grown in the United States are not connected the current outbreak and are safe to eat; traces of Salmonella are found in irrigation water and on a serrano pepper at a Mexican farm
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Worry: South Korean cat infected with bird flu
A cat found dead in a South Korean city was infected with a virulent strain of bird flu, the first mammal in the country known to have had the H5N1 virus; cats and dogs are usually not susceptible to the virus
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Problems with Red Cross blood services
Despite persisting criticism of the way the Red Cross collects and process blood for the U.S. blood supply, serious problems persist, threatening the health of Americans
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Booster vaccination to help against avian influenza pandemic
Evidence suggests that a booster vaccination against H5N1 avian influenza given years after initial vaccination with a different strain may prove useful in controlling a potential future pandemic
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FDA declares it is OK to eat tomatoes again
The U.S. government has declared it is OK to eat tomatoes again, lifting its salmonella warning amid signs that the outbreak — while not over — may finally be slowing
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Who should be treated first in case of pandemic outbreak?
Representatives from 35 states participate in an Indiana University-hosted discussion about how should limited, potentially life-saving resources like vaccines or ventilators be allocated during a pandemic
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New, quick method for identifying food-borne diseases
European researchers have developed a system which prepares samples and performs DNA tests on the salmonella and campylobacter bacteria in a portable and cost-effective chip
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Calgary researcher wins NIH grant for bacterial vaccine
CDC considers glanders and melioidosis as potential bioterrorism agents; Canadian researcher receives NIH grant to develop a vaccine
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Ebola-like virus returns to Europe after forty years
A Dutch woman visited bat caves in Uganda in mid-June, and developed Marburg, a deadly hemorrhagic fever closely related to Ebola, on her return; first case of the disease in Europe after a 40-year absence
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