The CDC is now calling for subtyping of influenza A viruses in all hospitalized patients -- and on an accelerated timeline, ideally within 24 hours. Nirav Shah, MD, JD, principal deputy director of the CDC,

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging hospitals to accelerate advanced testing of people they suspect may have bird flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released an advisory recommending clinicians expedite subtyping of type A influenza samples from hospitalized patients, particularly individuals in an intensive care unit.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring the bird flu situation in the United States. Here's what to know and how to stay safe.

Due to ongoing sporadic H5N1 avian flu infections and brisk levels of seasonal flu activity, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today urged healthcare providers to subtype all influenza A specimens in hospitalized patients, especially those in the intensive care unit (ICU), as soon as possible.

The CDC announced on Thursday its recommendation to test hospitalized influenza A patients more quickly and thoroughly to distinguish between seasonal flu and bird flu.

The H5N1 virus has mutated meaning it has begun to adapt to infect humans better raising new questions about H5N1's pandemic potential.

"The Chinese poultry lineage may have experienced more vaccine-driven selection compared to other lineages," the researchers wrote.

Highly infectious H5N1 virus, also known as the bird flu virus has tightened its grip on the United States. For the first time, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), has been detected in a commercial poultry flock in Georgia.

CDC officials say they extended the guidance now because they are seeing more H5N1 patients whose illness they cannot track back to an infected bird or cow.

According to the CDC, 66 humans have been infected with H5N1 in the last year ... told Salon H5N1 and other avian influenza viruses are a type A influenza virus. "We do need subtype confirmation to make sure it's ‘H5,’ and sub-type testing is not ...

H5N1 first human death was reported in USA. Since then, health authorities have been monitoring and cases and shave sounded alarm regarding its mutation rate.