美國(guó)雞肉處理人員將開(kāi)始對(duì)他們所有的雞進(jìn)行禽流感的監(jiān)測(cè)，數(shù)量將比2005年期間翻一番。

美國(guó)國(guó)家雞肉委員會(huì)(Washington DC, USA)是一家協(xié)調(diào)資源檢測(cè)項(xiàng)目的貿(mào)易組織，該協(xié)會(huì)說(shuō)生產(chǎn)該國(guó)超過(guò)90％雞的公司已經(jīng)同意在每只雞宰殺之前，對(duì)樣本進(jìn)行檢測(cè)。盡管大多數(shù)禽流感的毒株對(duì)人類無(wú)害，但是致命性H5N1毒株是高度傳染性的。科學(xué)家能夠?qū)ρ褐羞M(jìn)行抗體檢測(cè)以確定家禽的健康狀況。

這項(xiàng)監(jiān)測(cè)主要是向美國(guó)國(guó)內(nèi)國(guó)外的消費(fèi)者保證，家禽沒(méi)有受到橫掃東歐和亞洲的H5N1毒株的影響。這項(xiàng)監(jiān)測(cè)計(jì)劃是由于消費(fèi)者近期開(kāi)始要求供應(yīng)商保證他們的雞肉沒(méi)有感染禽流感。

在2006年1月的早些時(shí)候，在亞洲H5N1病毒已經(jīng)導(dǎo)致超過(guò)146人感染，其中76人死亡。僅僅在越南就有93例患者，其中42例死亡。大多數(shù)受害者都有與患病家禽的密切接觸史，但是衛(wèi)生官員擔(dān)心病毒會(huì)獲得在人與人之間傳染的能力，從而導(dǎo)致大范圍流行。
 
U.S. Screens Poultry for Avian Flu
 
U.S. chicken processors are starting to screen all of their flocks for bird flu, more than doubling the number of tests conducted in the industry during 2005.

The United States National Chicken Council (Washington DC, USA), a trade group coordinating the voluntary testing program, said firms producing about 90% of the nation’s chickens have agreed to screen a sample of chickens from each flock before slaughter. Although most strains of avian flu are harmless to humans, the deadly H5N1 strain is highly contagious. Scientists can determine the health of a flock by conducting an antibody-based test on the blood of a dozen or so of its members.

The screening is designed to reassure consumers, domestic and foreign, that U.S. chickens are free of the H5N1 strain sweeping into Eastern Europe from Asia. The screening is due to the fact that customers recently began requiring suppliers to certify that their chickens are free of bird flu.

By early January 2006, the H5N1 strain had killed more than 146 people in Asia, of whom 76 died. Vietnam alone accounted for 93 cases and 42 deaths. Most of the victims had close contact with sick birds, but health officials worry the virus could acquire the ability to move easily among people, sparking a pandemic.