Archive for July, 2009

Infectious Diseases Study Site Questioned

July 28, 2009 at 2:39 pm · Filed under Ag Biosecurity, Science & Education

On June 9, 2009, I posted a blog “The Slippery Slope Involved in the Proposed Move of the U.S. Foot and Mouth Disease Lab – What a “Mess!” that questioned the basis for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) support for the movement of FMD virus and research from the current location at Plum Island Animal Disease Research Center (PIADC) to the newly announced National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) site managed by Kansas State University.  This morning’s Washington Post had a very interesting article that discusses concerns about this issue.  Enjoy reading the story.

By Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 27, 2009

The Department of Homeland Security relied on a rushed, flawed study to justify its decision to locate a $700 million research facility for highly infectious pathogens in a tornado-prone section of Kansas, according to a government report. Read the rest of this entry »

Health Inspectors Caught Swine Flu Investigating Alberta Pig Farm Outbreak

July 28, 2009 at 2:38 pm · Filed under Ag Biosecurity, H1N1 Influenza, Science & Education

A ProMED-mail post (July 23, 2009)

Two Canadian Food Inspection Agency [CFIA] inspectors appear to have contracted swine flu while investigating an outbreak of the new virus in pigs on an Alberta farm in late April [2009], the agency confirmed on 21 July 2009.

The cases appear to be the first report of people catching the new H1N1 virus from pigs. Read the rest of this entry »