UK's bird flu tests may actually miss the flu

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

A recent study suggests that the UK's testing system for bird flu may actually be missing most cases, leading officials to believe the flu isn't as widespread as it really is.

 

New Scientist has talked with several bird flu experts, and they say that the numbers produced by the UK's tests are vastly different than expected. "There's something wrong with those numbers" says one Swedish expert, and others suggest that the techniques for obtaining fecal samples from birds are flawed. If they're right, it means that the UK may have a much larger problem than it thinks.

 

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19025473.600