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Authorities identified a case of avian flu in the United States, while J&J unveiled results from a multiple myeloma trial. This is The Week in Health!  For more panels and discussions featuring the main leaders of the health industry, be sure to register for #MexicoHealthSummit 2024. #MexicoBusinessNews #MexicoHealth

"May the 4th be with us". H5N1 bird flu has now been found in dairy cattle in 13 US states as shown by latest sequence data submitted to GISAID today, with the number of virus genomes available for this outbreak tripled. Why does this matter? Avian influenza is optimized to infect birds and whenever it is found in mammals it could also potentially infect humans more easily. It seems to be spreading fast between farms although the mode of transmission is not yet understood. The virus RNA is also found in raw milk and cats and racoons around farms are getting infected too. Should we worry? Not so fast. FDA says pasteurized milk is safe. So far one farm worker was found infected and had only mild symptoms, specifically eye infection, eyes are a possible entry point for avian influenza. The good news is that from earlier studies on H5N1 and H7N9 avian influenza we know which mutations could facilitate sustained human-human transmission and genomic surveillance together with tools such as the FluSurver developed by our A*STAR team on the GISAID platform show that the current cattle outbreak sequences lack the markers for human adaptation and we are paying careful attention on every new incoming sequence. For latest news and phylogenetic trees, please see: https://lnkd.in/ggP8PyYi #H5N1 #birdflu #dairy #cattle USDA The GISAID Initiative World Health Organization A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research A*STAR Research

If you've seen recent news of avian flu spreading among cows and would like to know more about what this means for our food systems and human health — and how health officials can mitigate the risk — check out this interview with michele barry, Director of the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health. ⬇

🦠 Understanding H5N1 Bird Flu and the Role of PCR Technology 🦠 H5N1 avian influenza, or bird flu, is a major global health threat due to its potential to cause severe respiratory illness in humans and animals. 🔬 The Importance of PCR Technology 🔬 PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology is essential in the fight against H5N1: PCR Technology: This powerful tool amplifies viral DNA, allowing for rapid and accurate detection of the H5N1 virus in samples. PCR is indispensable for diagnosing infections and monitoring the virus's genetic changes, providing crucial insights for public health measures and outbreak control. Harnessing the power of PCR technology helps us stay ahead of emerging threats and protect both human and animal health. Let's continue to support advancements in diagnostic technology! 🧬 https://lnkd.in/dt_rfJwb #H5N1 #BirdFlu #VaccineDevelopment #PCR #BiomedicalResearch #PublicHealth #HEPAFiltration #Diagnostics 

I’m thrilled to announce our collaboration with our #assayaDX Platform Partner NordicDx as to introduce a game-changing solution for Avian Influenza detection in poultry and other animals: a digitally enabled and quantifiable LFA-based Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) that utilises the advanced features of the iaX Rapid Diagnostic Reader (RDR). With the ongoing #H5N1 🦠 (Bird Flu) outbreak reaching critical levels, early and accurate detection is more important than ever. Together with NordicDx, we bring cutting-edge technology to the forefront of decentralised diagnostics. 🔬 How it works: - Collect samples from poultry. - Pipette the sample into the test well. - Insert the RDT into the iaX RDR, and in just 8 minutes, receive quantitative and precise results, even detecting the faintest test lines invisible to the naked eye. 💡 This innovative approach offers real-time digital capture of the results with real-time connection to a cloud-based system, ensuring reliable and rapid reporting — critical for managing Avian Influenza outbreaks effectively. I am excited to work with the fantastic team at NordicDx as to help enhance global health and protect both animals and humans from the threat of Avian Influenza. 🌍 Together, we’re pushing the boundaries of diagnostics to create a safer, healthier future for everyone. We're leveraging digital technologies to scale up decentralised rapid testing at the Point of Test, wherever that happens to be, including #farms. #Partnership #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #RDT #HealthcareInnovation #NordicDx #GlobalHealth #Diagnostics #HealthTech #DigitalDiagnostics #OneHealth #Zoonotic #POT #POCT

How concerned should we be about the avian flu? Stanford University School of Medicine's michele barry lays out the facts as this fluid situation plays out within our dairy farms. As she told Jamie Hansen, APR: 'This virus has the potential to seriously disrupt our agricultural supplies and also jump from other mammals to humans and become an epidemic or even a pandemic.' In other words, stay closely tuned and on alert. (How about this illustration by Emily Moskal?)

Since today is #worldHealth Day, here is an emerging and rapidly evolving situation that CDC is following closely( Must Know) Health agencies currently monitor Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 bird flu). Here's a brief update on both situations: ****************** H5N1 (Avian Influenza) ********************** ✅Current Situation → For the first time, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been detected in U.S. mammals. (Cows) → First instance of cow-to-human spread. → This leap to mammals is raising concerns about the virus's adaptability and transmission. → There is no sign of person-to-person spread at this time. ✅ Human Risk → Notably, there have been two human cases of H5N1 in the U.S. → This presents a rare jump of the avian influenza virus to humans. → So far, presenting symptoms are mild ( conjunctivitis or red eyes) → overall risk to the general population is currently low. ✅ Prevention Measures → The CDC recommends avoiding unprotected exposure to potentially infected animals. → Emphasizes the safety of consuming adequately handled and cooked poultry products. → avoid unpasteurized milk products Ongoing surveillance and preparedness efforts are being prioritized (CDC). ******************* Stay updated, stay safe, and continue to support public health. Read more here https://lnkd.in/enkQ7TpC #worldhealthday #publichealth #healthsecurity

"Reemerging Policy Issues Accompany an Emerging Infection The initial response and availability of information for both the research and public sectors was unacceptable. Delays were significant in data sharing of genetic sequences obtained from various positive species (see timeline), including a 15-day gap during which hundreds of samples were sequenced without being posted. When officials ultimately posted the information, it lacked key details, such as the date and location of collection (known as metadata).  Yet the value of publicizing the data was immediately proven by the important insights it enabled, including one analysis (not yet peer reviewed) that suggested cows may have been infected as early as December 2023. Such analyses by outside experts are subverted by gaps in critical epidemiological metadata; for instance, these shortcomings do not allow insights into the transmission links between farms or the geographic identification of affected species and migratory flyways." https://lnkd.in/eSwnTt9F