The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus used a new strategy to cross from birds into humans, a warning that it has more than one trick up its sleeve to jump the species barrier. In a report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, researchers show that the H1N1 virus adopted a new mutation in one of its genes distinct from the mutations found in previous flu viruses.

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In indigenous swine flu vaccine is far from ready but India has given the green signal to two foreign pharmaceutical giants to begin human trials of their vaccine in the country. According to the health ministry, India has already placed orders for more than one million doses of swine flu vaccines from GSK and Novartis. But before that is administered, the government wants to ensure that the vaccines are absolutely safe.

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Vical Incorporated has announced that the company addressed an international gathering of pandemic influenza vaccine experts and potential commercial partners to encourage broader use of the company’s DNA vaccine technology and Vaxfectin(R) adjuvant. DNA vaccines can be developed and produced very quickly using scaleable manufacturing processes which are not dependent upon chicken eggs or other cell culture methods.

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Roche Holding AG’s antiviral drug Tamiflu may not prevent complications from influenza in healthy adults, according to a review by an independent research group that reversed its previous findings that the medicine warded off pneumonia and other deadly conditions linked to the disease. The pill has been the mainstay of treatment for pandemic swine flu, which has killed nearly 9,000 people since it emerged in April, according to the World Health Organization.

Madison and the University of Wisconsin are continuing their push to vaccinate students and a targeted group of community members against the swine flu by offering new H1N1 vaccine clinics in the next few weeks. Public Health-Madison and Dane County will be offering H1N1 clinics at six locations in Madison. The vaccines will be given to pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants less than six months old.