Germany Ploughs Millions Into Bird Flu Research

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Germany Ploughs Millions Into Bird Flu Research

The German government has announced that it would spend 60 million

euros ($73 million) on bird flu research in the next four years in the

hope of developing a vaccine for humans soon.

" This would allow us to vaccinate the population before the virus

mutates, " Health Minister Ulla Schmidt told a press briefing.

Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer said researchers would also study

the transmission of avian influenza from animals to humans and seek to

develop a rapid test for the feared H5N1 strain of the virus.

Gaps in knowledge

The strain was first detected in Germany in February among wild birds

on the Baltic Sea Island of Rügen but rapidly affected six regions and

for the first time in the European Union infected mammals.

" There are considerable gaps in our knowledge, " Seehofer said. " The

outbreak of bird flu (in Germany) needs to be investigated. " ...

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1941982,00.html