AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT November 22

UNCLAS TOKYO 006689 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE DEPT FOR OES/IHA SINGER AND FENDRICK DEPT FOR EAP/J USDA PASS TO APHIS HHS PASS TO CDC HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, BHAT AND ELVANDER DEPT PASS TO AID/GH/HIDN DENNIS CARROLL SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI JA SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT November 22 REF: A. 05 STATE 153802 ¶B. TOKYO 6098 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. There were no significant avian influenza (AI) developments in Japan during the period October 19 to November 22. No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 AI were reported in Japan during the above period. -- Importation of US Chickens to Stop -- ¶2. On November 16, in response to the recent cases of avian influenza H5N2 in the State of New York, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced a ban on the importation of poultry meat and guts from the state. MAFF has requested the USG to provide more detailed information on the outbreak. -- MHLW's study denied the linkage between Tamiflu and abnormal behavior -- ¶3. On November 15, Japanese media responded to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) call for an updated warning label for the flu drug Tamiflu. The FDA's announcement was in response to reports from Japan of delirium, hallucinations, and other unusual psychiatric behavior in children taking Tamiflu. In Japan, Tamiflu's warning labels are required to note the risk of abnormal behavior. However, a study group of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) reported that there is no link between children's intake of Tamiflu and abnormal behavior. The team led by Professor Shunpei Yokota of Yokohama city University conducted a survey covering 2846 cases of children who were infected with influenza in JFY2006. 11.9 percent of the cases that took Tamiflu showed abnormal behavior and 10.6 percent of the cases that did not take Tamiflu showed abnormal behavior. The team concluded that there was no statistically significant result. Professor Yokota commented that further studies should be done to determine the linkage between Tamiflu and abnormal behavior. Professor Yokota will continue the research for JFY2007. SCHIEFFER