Fear of virus is sickest thing about bird flu. Fear causes the public to blur the distinction between birds and people, and so, as the H5N1 virus infects flocks of birds in Pakistan and Israel, nightly news watchers track the path to the United States. [News Source]

Japan, US experts discuss worries on beef trade. Japan and the United States started two days of talks on Tuesday at which Washington will seek to dispel concerns about a U.S. inspection system for mad cow disease and move Tokyo a step closer to lifting a ban on American beef imports. [News Source]

U.S. wants Japan to resume beef shipments. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Monday he wants to persuade Japan to resume U.S. beef shipments before deciding whether to scale back tests for mad cow disease. [News Source]

Human-to-human ‘mad cow’-like infection possible. People may be at risk for contracting the human version of mad cow disease, even if they haven't eaten parts from an infected animal, a new study contends. [News Source]