Home
News
India's Bird flu vaccine remains untouched
The High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in
India, developed a H5N1 vaccine in July 2006, but no drug manufacturing company
has contacted the lab to buy either the preserved doses or the formula for
commercial use.
HSADL, which has the technique for identifying the avian
influenza virus among poultry, tested thousands of bird samples including
droppings of migratory birds last year after first strains of the deadly
H5N1
avian influenza virus were detected in western Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and
Maharashtra.
Talking about the efficacy of the vaccine, HSADL joint director H.K.
Pradhan said: "The vaccine can be used immediately after a bird flu outbreak to
control the spread of the virus as well as for vaccination in anticipation of an
outbreak.
"The immune response is good and the protection offered by the vaccine has
been found to be above 90%. The protection should last up to six months for
hens. For a broiler it needs to be administered only once," he added.
Editor WorldPoultry
To comment, login here
Or register to be able to comment.