HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman has announced three actions being taken to further strengthen existing safeguards that protect consumers against the agent that cau
New outbreaks of the avian influenza virus H5N1 in China, Thailand and Viet Nam confirm that the virus is still endemic in the region, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a statement yesterday. "The new cases do not come as a su
Health officials from 16 countries have asked for budgetary support "to ensure the sustainability of the existing vaccination programs and the introduction of new vaccines," at the conclusion of a global symposium on rotavirus, a diarrheal disease
Aids is one of the principal causes of infant mortality in many developing countries. Viral transmission takes place during pregnancy (in utero), at the moment of childbirth or even during breastfeeding. If no treatment is given, the virus is transmitt
The case of a high school student in King County who was hospitalized and died this week of meningococcal disease - commonly called bacterial meningitis - has created some public concern about risks of exposure to the disease."Meningococcal dis
A better understanding of STD prevention among African American adolescent girls that takes into account gender and culture can enhance HIV preventive behaviors, skills, and may also reduce pregnancy and some sexually transmitted diseases, according to
Rapid testing during labor can enable pregnant women with undocumented HIV status to learn their HIV infection status so they can receive antiretroviral prophylaxis and be referred for comprehensive medical care and follow-up according to a report in t
To improve the information available to the government health services and private health practitioners on a set of high priority diseases, such as Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, as well as other common risk factors, the
Nationwide programs to increase condom use in commercial sex, help drug injectors to use clean needles and cut risky sex between men are needed to reverse a growing HIV epidemic in Asia, according to leading scientists.In a report released ahea
Researchers at Johns Hopkins and University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, have determined that the actual average cost for providing primar
According to reports health officials are worried following the deaths of more than 11 wild pigeons in Sungai Petani, and they are carrying out tests for bird flu.
The results should be known later on Tuesday.
The discovery of the dead birds in the far-northwest state of Kedah, comes after the mysterious deaths of dozens of pigeons at the weekend in a rural town in the neighbouring state of Perak.
In that case bird flu has been ruled out.
According to reports Hawari Hussein, director-general of veterinary services,says that all the states are prepared for an outbreak and the moment they detect a case, they will activate preparations to deal with it.
Malaysia's last reported case of the potentially deadly H5N1 avian flu virus in an animal was in northern Kelantan state on Nov. 22 last year, and to date no human cases have been reported.
Early in the year, Malaysia declared itself free of bird flu.
The virus is already endemic in poultry in much of Asia and has killed 63 people in four Asian countries, but it has not as yet, shown it can spread easily from person to person.