National standards require that the poultry industry test 98 percent of flocks for avian flu before they go to slaughter, said Eggert. Based on legislation the General Assembly passed in 2005, the registry consists of small and large holders of four types of poultry: meat chickens, egg chickens, meat turkeys and exotic or backyard birds, said Hohenhaus. State veterinarian Guy Hohenhaus said the likelihood of mutation is "as close to nil as you can get" because of the strength of Maryland's...

A bird flu vaccine won federal approval for the first time Tuesday as a stopgap measure against a potential pandemic until more effective vaccines can be developed. Since it began ravaging Asian poultry farms in late 2003, the H5N1 strain of bird flu has infected nearly 300 people worldwide, killing more than half of them. However, the government already plans to buy and stockpile enough of the vaccine for 20 million people, including emergency and health care workers. The government plans...

At this time, the investigation indicates that approximately 30 poultry farms in Indiana received contaminated feed in early February and fed it to poultry within days of receiving it. Because there is no evidence of harm to humans associated with the consumption of chicken fed the contaminated product, no recall of processed poultry products is being issued. The expanded list now includes additional "cuts and gravy" style pet foods and select other products that do not necessarily include...

Since it began ravaging Asian poultry farms in late 2003, the H5N1 strain of bird flu has infected nearly 300 people worldwide, killing more than half of them. The government plans to buy and stockpile enough bird flu vaccine for 20 million people, including emergency and health care workers. Scientists also are studying the development of cell-based vaccines, which would be faster to produce in an outbreak of deadly flu than are current egg-based vaccines. OKs 1st bird flu vaccine for...

A meeting was held last Monday by Abdul-Karim Rase, Minister of Public Health and Population, attended by a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, as well as customs officials and other concerned bodies, to discuss reports on new bird flu infections in neighboring countries. A meeting was held last Monday by Abdul-Karim Rase, Minister of Public Health and Population, attended by a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, as well as customs...

The GNA says its investigations revealed that poultry farmers and dealers in poultry products in the Dormaa District were going about their businesses with little or no sign of anxiety. He said following the Tema incident, the district's agricultural officers had been ordered to disengage from all other activities and concentrate on a 24-hour surveillance on all poultry and wild birds in the district. Kontor said his office, the district assembly and a special task force monitored the...