The media has been accused of sowing confusion among members of the public and in the process causing loss among farmers over the true origin of what it describes as swine flu. The chief veterinary officer in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr. Joseph Nyager, told THISDAY, that the so-called swine flu … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Swine flu (H1N1)
Veterinarians at high risk for viral, bacterial infections from animals
The recent H1N1 influenza epidemic has raised many questions about how animal viruses move to human populations. One potential route is through veterinarians, who, according to a new report by University of Iowa College of Public Health researchers, are at markedly increased risk of infection with zoonotic pathogens — the viruses and bacteria that can … Continue reading
Experts highlight lack of swine flu diagnostics
Many developing countries have “extremely limited capacity” to diagnose diseases such as swine flu and are likely to remain this way for decades, according to a public health expert specialising in pandemic preparedness. There has been substantial investment in developing countries to support animal and human health surveillance, says Richard Coker, professor of public health … Continue reading
Birds of a feather: Commercial producers play chicken with avian flu
In the late 1980s thousands of chickens died from a cancer caused by a virus known as avian leukosis virus J because they were all descended from a few roosters susceptible to the disease. This is just one example of how a lack of genetic diversity can imperil livestock and agriculture. Similar instances abound from … Continue reading
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