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Avian influenza vaccine trials to begin
30 Aug 2004
CSIRO Livestock Industries has developed an experimental vaccine to protect chickens from the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. Testing of the vaccine will now commence at CSIRO's high-biosecurity laboratories in Geelong, Victoria.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu swept through 10 Asian countries earlier this year, resulting in the death or slaughter of more than 100 million chickens. Once developed, the vaccine could be used to protect the world's poultry industry from further outbreaks and the possible spread to countries such as Australia.
Most vaccines used currently are produced from inactivated viruses, but this can result in the virus persisting in the flock and later re-emerging. Also, in an outbreak tests can't distinguish vaccinated birds from infected birds. The new vaccine delivers only a portion of the flu genetic material, so it's possible to make this distinction.
CSIRO Media Release, 25/8/04.
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