Genetic information about Indonesia’s bird flu virus will be available to researchers who have been monitoring the disease. A free global database launched Thursday will give scientists and health experts access to influenza virus samples and genetic sequencing in an effort to make sure the disease isn’t mutating to a form that could spread more easily between people.

China, Russia and other nations that have until now withheld influenza virus samples say they will also hand over their data to the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data, or GISAID.

Previously, the World Health Organization had maintained a database for virus samples and influenza data. Complaints by developing countries about the manner in which information was made available prompted many to withhold data until it could be shared more quickly and openly.

JAKARTA  Indonesia dismissed fears of a virus re-assortment between avian and human seasonal influenza strains in a 2007 human death involving bird flu infection, the country’s health ministry senior official said here. Director General of Communicable Diseases I Nyoman Kandun said the possibility of re-assortment between the avian influenza virus and other flu viruses was always possible, but had not yet happened.

“When and where it will happen, nobody knows. Risk assessment therefore is very important,” Kandun was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying Thursday. Re-assortment of the highly pathogenic avian influenza and seasonal flu virus would give birth to a “new” virus that could be easily transmitted from human to human, resulting in a pandemic.

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