China says it has better bird flu vaccine

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1483191.htm

 

Last Update: Saturday, October 15, 2005.

 

China says it has better bird flu vaccine

 

China has developed a new and better vaccine for use on birds against

the avian influenza strain that scientists fear could cause a global

pandemic among humans, state media said.

 

The vaccine had the advantage of fighting another common bird disease,

as well as the H5N1 influenza strain that has spread from Asia to

Europe, state television reported.

 

It identified this as avulavirus APMV-1, also known as Newcastle disease.

 

" What's more, the new vaccine is safer, more convenient to use and

cannot kill new born chicks, " it said, listing attributes that made it

more attractive to farmers than a vaccine they were already using.

 

For example, the new vaccine could be applied by spraying.

 

" In addition, the cost of the new vaccine in mass production is only

one fifth of that of the previous vaccine. "

 

The country was preparing to put the vaccine into mass production,

Xinhua new agency reported.

 

The H5N1 bird flu strain emerged in Hong Kong in 1997, resurfaced in

2003 in South Korea and has since spread to other Asian countries and

Europe. It was confirmed on Saturday in Romania.

 

The disease has infected 117 people and killed 60, according to the

World Health Organisation, which believes it is only a matter of time

before it develops the ability to pass easily from human to human,

possibly causing a catastrophic pandemic.

 

-Reuters