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In Brief: United States approves rapid avian flu test
Source: IRIN
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
DAKAR, 10 April
2009 (IRIN) - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a test that can detect the deadly H5N1 virus in humans through throat or nose swabs in 40
minutes. Current laboratory analyses that detect the avian flu strain can take up to four hours for confirmation. Based on past pandemics the world is now closer to another influenza pandemic than
at any time since 1968, when the last of the previous century's three pandemics occurred, according to World Health Organization (WHO). As of 8 April 15 countries have reported 417 human H5N1
infections and 257 deaths since 2003. Created by Arbor Vita Corporation with backing from the US Navy, the rapid test has not yet been approved for use outside the USA, nor has its price been
set. pt/np © IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org
