Biopeer

Possible influenza and malaria vaccines raise hopes

A vaccine being developed for H5N1 virus has been found to protect against other variations too. Sanofi Pasteur, a unit of Sanofi–Aventis stumbled upon this when it conducted fresh tests on the experimental vaccine. In a statement, Sanofi affirmed that the positive results proved that it is possible to formulate a vaccine that would induce “the formation of antibodies capable of neutralizing the most recent strains of the H5N1 virus”. These strains include the ones that have been making the rounds of Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, the fight against malaria got much needed encouragement when an experimental malaria vaccine showed promising results. According to reviewers from the Cochrane Library, tests showed that the vaccine decreased the number of clinical malaria episodes by 26 per cent for up to 18 months after vaccination. The number of episodes in children reduced by 58 per cent. The vaccine, RTS,S assaults the malaria causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum when it has just entered the human body with a mosquito bite. Scientists from the Walter Reed Army Research Institute developed the vaccine in association with GlaxoSmithKline. A second vaccine, MSP/RESA or Combination B attacks the parasite at a later stage of the disease and the reviewers see much promise in it too.

American scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have developed a vaccine for the deadly 1918 influenza virus, nearly a hundred years after it wrought havoc. The vaccine was found to be effective when tested on mice. Mice injected with the vaccine did not succumb when exposed to a reconstructed 1918 virus. The researchers hope that this vaccine will provide a successful basis for formulating vaccines against other influenza strains.

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Human bird flu vaccines — hope rekindled

Finally there is some positive news on the avian flu front. Two recent developments in the human bird flu vaccine arena have provided much relief to governments and the medical community worldwide.

Sinovac Biotech Co, a Chinese company has announced positive results of the phase I clinical trials of its human bird flu vaccine. In the Phase 1 trial, 20 volunteers aged between 18 and 60 years old were administered two doses of a placebo or the whole-virus vaccine in 1.25, 2.5, 5 or 10 microgram amounts. All the vaccine doses produced an immune response after 56 days but the 10-microgram doses were the most effective. The company now plans to start the Phase II clinical trials of the vaccine. The Phase I clinical trial results of the vaccine have generated worldwide interest because they demonstrate that the vaccine administered in small doses proves effective. Sinovac researchers used a slightly altered whole bird flu virus whose effects they then enhanced with another chemical called an adjuvant. Sinovac has scored an edge over companies because with a limited number of its vaccine more people can be vaccinated. Development of this vaccine will allay fears of a short supply of vaccines in case of a pandemic.

Akzo Nobel’s Nobilon International human vaccines business has signed a cooperative research and development agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. The agreement involves the development of a live attenuated cold-adapted cell culture vaccine against the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus. According to World Health Organization, a live vaccine would offer better and broader protection in the event of a pandemic outbreak as it can trigger a broader immune response than inactivated influenza vaccines in children, as well as allow for a single dose of a smaller amount of vaccine to provide meaningful protection, compared with currently available inactivated vaccines.

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More outbreaks of avian flu

A study in Iowa, for the first time, has shown the possibility of people catching a non-threatening strain of the avian flu virus from wild birds. Researchers from the University of Iowa found that one duck hunter and two state environmental workers tested positive for the H11N9 virus. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has hailed the finding as noteworthy. Hunters have been advised to take certain precautionary measures while dealing with wild birds.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s misery continued with 11 more suspected avian flu cases being reported in Phichit. Those infected were mostly children between the ages of 4 and 14; they have been admitted to five different hospitals in the province. The blood and phlegm samples of the patients have been sent for laboratory tests and results are expected on Friday. Laos, too, is worried over the spread of avian flu. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) confirmed that the H5N1 strain of the avian flu virus has been found on a commercial poultry farm 25 km south of the Vientiane. The government of Laos is trying its best to prevent the spread of the disease.

Despite the resurgence of the virus, the fight against it continues unabated. Acting on a possibility that the outbreak in Slunchogled village located in southern Bulgaria earlier this month may be a combination of Newcastle disease and avian flu, Bulgaria has banned poultry exports to the European Union. The ban will remain in force until the European Commission rules on the case in August. Also, the Indonesian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Murdoch University, Australia, to conduct joint research, surveillance and training that will prevent the spread of avian flu. The World Health Organization would fund the research for five years.

Avian flu fallouts all over the globe

In the wake of Thailand reporting its fifteenth avian flu death, Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, the caretaker Agriculture Minister, criticized the chief livestock officer of Pichit for not reporting the avian flu situation to the government and ordered his transfer. The officer, Pracha Assavametha has been transferred to the ministry, but Pracha maintained that he always reported any mysterious death to the ministry. On the other hand, despite the recurrence of avian flu in the country, Sudarat has made it clear that exports of Thai chicken should not be affected. The minister has ordered tough measures to inspect poultry infected with the virus.

Continuing their fight against avian flu, countries are taking measures to prevent the occurrence and spread of the virus. Experts from different fields are coming together to formulate a plan to prevent an outbreak of avian flu in Fiji. Authorities in South Africa have culled 8,000 ostriches to control the spread of the disease, even though the virus strain detected was H5N2, which is deadly only to animals and not humans.

Meanwhile, there is good news for Turkey. Tests on the three children from Hakkari, hospitalized on suspicion of avian flu, have found no signs of the virus. Van University Hospital confirmed that the children were only suffering from diarrhea. They were given proper treatment and discharged from the hospital.

But the spread of avian flu has been profitable too. The increased demand for the avian flu drug Relenza has pushed the annual royalties of Biota Holdings Ltd to USD 5.1 million. Royalties during the three months ending June 30 totalled USD 3.4 million on worldwide sales of USD 42 million.

Avian flu strikes Thailand, even as new vaccine spells hope

Following the recent avian flu outbreaks in Thailand, a 16-year-old boy from Phichit province has succumbed to the virus. With this death, Thailand's avian flu toll has reached 15. The teenager is believed to have caught the virus while helping his father bury dead chickens. Kamnuan Ungchusak, head of the epidemiology bureau of the Health Ministry, stated that laboratory tests had confirmed the cause of death to be avian flu. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) is yet to confirm the results.

On the other hand, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) claims to have developed a vaccine for the H5N1 deadly strain of avian flu. Clinical trials in Belgium have found that the vaccine is effective even at two doses of 3.8 micrograms. The size of the dose is very important, as companies want to get the maximum number of shots out of a specific quantity of vaccine. GSK is hopeful of mass-producing the vaccine by 2007 to enable bulk orders by various governments.

Meanwhile, Philippines is taking preventive measures to combat avian flu. A bird flu Preparedness and Response Planning workshop was held at Surigao del Norte, a province of the Philippines. The main feature of the two-day workshop was Project Blue. The aim of Project Blue is to educate the public, prepare a communication network and train task forces, all of which will come in useful in case of an avian flu outbreak. Another country preparing itself is Laos. Its National Committee for Avian Influenza Prevention has devised a national strategy to prevent and battle the disease. Though avian flu has not struck Laos yet, the government is taking note of the WHO report that indicated the possibility of an outbreak.

Avian flu confirmed in Thailand while nations step up fight

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry of Thailand confirmed a fresh outbreak of the H5N1 virus in the northern province of Phichit. The virus has been detected in a fighting cock carcass from Bang Mun Nak district, where mysterious deaths had taken place two weeks ago. Refuting the accusations made by outgoing senator Nirun Phitakwatchara, Nirundorn Aungtragoolsuk, director of the Livestock Development Department's Disease Control Bureau, insisted that the public had been informed as soon as the test results had been confirmed.

In the meantime, Bulgaria has allocated an additional 50,000 leva for the fight against the spread of avian flu. Though the avian flu outbreak in Bulgaria is under control, the nation is expecting the European Union (EU) to impose limitations on it. The funds would be used for protective clothing and disinfectants. Bird owners from the affected region would also receive monetary compensation for the destroyed poultry.

Scientists from Australia have received a grant from the British Medical Research Council (BMRC) to develop new drugs that will ensure better protection against resistant flu viruses, including avian flu. Jennifer McKimm-Breschkin from CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies, and Andrew Watts, a British researcher from the University of Bath, will share the USD 1 million grant over 3 years.

Representatives of nine Asian countries have been invited to a review meeting on the global health and security risk of avian flu. The aim is to find a way to combine efforts in combating the spread of avian flu. The meeting will be held on July 27 and 28, 2006, in New Delhi, India. The US Department of Health and Human Services, who is also partnering the conference, has provided a grant of USD 50,000.

Avian flu is cause for concern for ASEAN and Thailand

The spread of the deadly avian flu virus is causing much anxiety in many Asian countries. This was reflected during the discussions on the first day of the meeting of senior officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Avian flu was one of the many issues discussed during the meeting held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Malaysia. Malaysia’s Asean Director-General, Datuk Hussein Haniff chaired the session. The recent outbreak in mainland China has merely reconfirmed the seriousness of this issue.

Meanwhile, avian flu is being suspected in three more cases in Thailand. The victims, two men and one boy, hail from the province Phichit. All three had apparently come in contact with dead chickens. They are being treated at Phichit Hospital. However, tests confirming the avian flu virus are yet to give their verdict. Deputy chief health officer for Chiang Mai, Surasing Wisarutarat, has warned the public not to cook dead chickens, regardless of how they died. The warning comes even as the Department of Livestock Development insists that no avian flu has been detected in the irregular poultry deaths that have occurred so far.

But the Thai Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, is not taking any chances. She has ordered Thailand’s avian flu prevention plan to be restructured for more consistency. Special attention will be paid to the seven risk-prone provinces of Phichit, Uttaradit, Sukothai, Pitsanulok, Kanjanaburi, Supanburi, and Nakorn Pathom. Relevant ministries, departments and special teams will work together to prevent the spread of the virus.

Avian flu strikes Bulgaria but there is positive news for NZ and Indonesia

Bulgaria is the latest country to fall victim to avian flu. The deadly virus was detected in a farm in the southern village of Slanchogled. It has not yet been confirmed if the strain is H5N1 but the authorities are not taking any chances. They are trying hard to kill all fowls in the region before the virus spreads. Medical personnel in the area are on high alert but so far, there has been no sign of the virus having spread among humans. Ethnic Turks, who constitute a majority of the village population, are suspected of having illegally imported birds from Turkey, thus bringing the virus to the Balkan country. In order to prevent the spread of the virus, authorities have quarantined the village for 21 days.

However, there is good news for New Zealand. A survey of broiler poultry farms through out the country has confirmed that its poultry is free from bird flu. The Poultry Industry Association expects the survey results to further increase the growing export demand for New Zealand poultry meat and eggs. Indonesia too is much relieved after Johannes Ginting, from North Sumatra, was declared free of the avian flu virus by doctors of Adam Malik Hospital. The bird flu medical team head Luhur Soeroso said that it was as yet unclear why only Johannes survived the virus and his eight family members did not when the medicine given to all of them was similar. Though he is free of the virus and his appetite has returned to normal, Johannes still suffers from breathing problems and will have to visit the hospital periodically.

Avian flu in SA under control; Swaziland and Indonesia step up measures

As per the South African Department of Land Affairs and Agriculture, the avian flu outbreak in Mossel Bay is now under control. Further, its spokesperson added that surveillance procedures carried out within a 20 km radius have been effective and the virus has been contained within two adjacent properties.

However, despite assurances from South Africa, its neighbor Swaziland is taking no risks with avian flu. The Swaziland Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives has decided to embark on a campaign to educate the public on early detection and response to avian flu. The minister Mtiti Fakudze stated that it was time to take drastic measures to prevent the entry of the virus and ensure early detection. He requested government officials working on ports of entry to collaborate with the public and try to minimize the threat of the disease. Responding to questions posed by MP Mphiwa Dlamini, Mtiti said that the ministry of health and social welfare and United Nations agencies would implement the strategies formulated by a task force that has been set up for this purpose.

Meanwhile in Southeast Asia, as part of its bilateral assistance package to Indonesia, Singapore conducted a training course on avian flu. Twenty Indonesian laboratory staff from premier laboratories attended the five-day course. The course equipped participants with the knowledge and practical skills required for diagnosing avian flu in humans. The training began on July 10, 2006 and was held at DSO National Laboratories, the topmost research and development center in Singapore.

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Avian flu is still bad news for four nations

Following the European Union (EU) ban on poultry from Thailand, the Thai government has set a three-year deadline to free itself of avian flu. While other countries are still reporting outbreaks, Thailand has not had an outbreak for eight months.. Every three months, 900,000 volunteers will disinfect poultry farms all over the country and check for the illness among residents.

Avian flu has claimed one more life in Indonesia. The victim was a three-year old girl who died this week in Jakarta. Local tests have confirmed the cause of death to be avian flu. The child had apparently had contact with sick poultry. She died nine hours after being admitted to the hospital. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) laboratory is yet to confirm the virus.

Alaska is taking no chances with avian flu. Since it lies in the route of migratory birds, it is a likely candidate for an avian flu outbreak. So it has decided to place an early order for medicines that will help to slow the spread of the pandemic. State officials have decided to stock antivirals like Tamiflu and Relenza that will be enough for about a quarter of the state’s population.

The EU import ban on ostriches, emus and their meat from two districts of South Africa has prompted the Western Cape department of agriculture to survey for more outbreaks. The survey is being carried out in co-operation with the National Department of Agriculture and the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in Pretoria. Preliminary investigations indicate that the outbreak was an isolated incident. However, the EU ban will remain in force till October.

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