Photo Credit PHIL
# 6149
The creation of two easily transmissible (between ferrets, anyway) forms of H5N1 in the laboratory – currently the subject of discussion in Geneva – has had one immediate (and I believe, positive) effect.
Many scientists and governments, who over the past few years had begun to wonder if the virus was truly capable of jumping to humans, are once again looking at H5N1 as a serious pandemic threat.
While it has yet to happen in nature, the genetic changes needed to transform the virus – as described by Fouchier in Malta - were shockingly small (see New Scientist: Five Easy Mutations).
The veil of apathy over the H5N1 virus, which has settled in over the past few years, appears to be lifting.
One such example comes today from Vietnam, which is once again seeing a resurgence of the bird flu virus (in poultry).
Today the director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology announced that they may begin testing a human H5N1 vaccine by the end of the year.
This from the Vietnam News Agency.
Viet Nam may begin producing H5N1 vaccines for humans next year
Updated February, 16 2012 11:54:00
HA NOI – Viet Nam may begin producing bird flu vaccines for humans next year, according to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology's director Nguyen Tran Hien.
The institute, which started researching development of the vaccine in 2005, is now producing an experimental version of the vaccine and testing its safety and effectiveness.
"These tests will facilitate the production and use of the vaccine for humans," Hien said.
The institute plans to carry out clinical trials of the vaccine at the end of this year, said Hien, adding that their research results would then be submitted to Ministry of Health.
Vietnam (pop. 87 million) has recorded fewer than 30 human infections with the H5N1 virus since 2006. And were this rate of infection expected to remain more or less constant, developing and deploying a vaccine would seem a poor allocation of resources.
But the concern is that with 20+ clades (major versions) of the virus in circulation around the world – and more likely to develop – one of these days this virus will figure us out, and begin to spread with deadly efficiency through the human population.
Given the speed at which influenza spreads, and the expected 6 to 12 month lag time in developing, testing, and deploying a vaccine – for many countries, having a vaccine already stockpiled is an attractive alternative.
It will be interesting to see how many of the countries that invested in (now expired) H5N1 vaccines back in 2006-2007 will now choose to refresh their stockpiles.
