Washington, April 30 : A new study examining the mechanisms underlying transmission of combined avian-human viruses has shed light on how virus outbreaks like that of the current swine flu come about.

The study, conducted by University of Maryland researchers, suggests that the ease with which a dangerous avian influenza virus can cause a human flu pandemic may be greater than previously thought.

In his study, associate Professor Daniel Perez from the University of Maryland has shown that after an avian and human-like virus combine, the virus requires relatively few mutations to spread rapidly between mammals by respiratory droplets.

London, April 30 : A new study, conducted by researchers at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), has found that adding the anti-viral drug telaprevir to a standard treatment for hepatitis C can shorten the duration of therapy and increase the number of patients who can be cured of their disease.

Jakarta - Indonesia, the country worst hit by bird flu, on Thursday warned its citizens against travelling to Mexico and eight other countries that have been hit by an outbreak of swine flu.

Authorities were also tightening control at all entry points to prevent the spread of swine flu to the country, said Bayu Krisnamurthi, head of Indonesia's commission dealing with bird flu.

Vilnius - Lithuania's health authorities were awaiting the results of tests Thursday in what could be the first case of swine flu in the Baltic states.

Samples taken from a Lithuanian citizen who returned to the country from Mexico on April 23 have been confirmed as containing a Type A influenza virus.

The samples have been sent to specialist laboratories in the United Kingdom to confirm whether it is swine flu, the Lithuanian Health Ministry said in a statement.

Washington, April 30 : Old men are more likely do die after being hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) than women, according to a new study, which suggests that the reason may be differing biological response to infection between males and females.

The findings may have important implications for understanding sex differences in life expectancy.

Washington, April 30 : Previous studies have provided a strong basis of support for hypothesis that individuals with particular genotypes are predestined to negative life outcomes such as depression, anxiety disorders. But now, a new study has challenged this view.

Researchers studied infant monkeys from four different rearing conditions to examine how social context and different forms of early adversity interact with genotype to influence behaviour.