The latest bird flu vaccine works, but there is a problem.
Dr. John Treanor at the University of Rochester Medical Center was the lead investigator in the largest bird flu vaccine study so far. More than 450 healthy adults ages 18 to 64 received two shots in the arm, one month apart.
Of those who received the largest dose — a dose six times the amount of the regular flu shot — more than half were adequately protected against the bird flu virus.
Treanor said, that it is going to be a challenge to make enough of the vaccine to supply the entire U.S. and the world. The bird flu vaccine comes from chicken eggs, just like regular flu shots. And it’s tough to get enough of those shots made each year. Treanor said they’re now on to the next generation of vaccines.
The focus is now on stretching the vaccine by adding stimulants, getting a booster shot, or giving the vaccine directly into the skin rather than the muscle.
The study appears in the latest New England Journal of Medicine.
link [news10now.com/content/health/healthy_living/?ArID=63571]
Filed under Bird Flu, Entirely Pets, Pet Meds | Comment Below
Related?
Bird Flu Vaccine for Humans is Not Difficult, Says, Leading Vaccine Producer July 8th, 2006 The country's (Indonesia) biggest vaccine producer, PT Bio Farma, is aiming to produce a vaccine against the deadly strain of the bird flu virus for humans by the end of this year. The company's president director, Marzuki Abdullah, said, the company had received a recommendation from the World Health Organization to produce a regular flu vaccine and would not find it difficult to produce.
Oral Bird Flu Vaccine from RussiaApril 19th, 2006 Russian scientists from St.Petersburg will soon start developing the country's first orally administered vaccine against the lethal H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus. The important difference with the orally administered vaccine is the possibility of immunizing birds by mixing the drug with fodder and drinking water.
UK 'Developing Bird Flu Vaccine'January 25th, 2006 A UK laboratory is one of just three in the world working to develop a vaccine which would combat the spread of bird flu. Researchers at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control are using genetic technology to create the vaccine.
Bird Flu Vaccine 'Encouraging'February 18th, 2006 An Australian drug company trying to develop a vaccine against bird flu said on Friday that early results from clinical trials were encouraging. CSL Ltd, based in the southern city of Melbourne, said it was confident the prototype for an H5N1 vaccine was safe and effective.
Vaccine for deadly bird flu developed: claimed researchers from Japan January 29th, 2009 Researchers from National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, claimed on Thursday that they have developed a flu vaccine that can prevent a deadly pandemic of deadly bird flu mutation, and could also capable to fight against multiple viruses. According to researcher Tetsuya Uchida, the newly developed vaccine is based on common types of protein inside the bodies of flu viruses is highly effective as they rarely change.
Ten Years to Develop an Effective Bird Flu VaccineJuly 3rd, 2006 Bird flu experts meeting in Paris at the First International Conference on Avian Influenza in Humans were told by leading virologists that it could take 10 years to develop an effective bird flu vaccine. Dr David Fedson, a retired professor of medicine, told the conference that there were well-documented problems with the H5N1 virus when it came to making a vaccine.
Bit the bird flu with a jab: Universal flu vaccine is getting closer?February 23rd, 2009 This is what we were eagerly looking forward for several years. A confirmed vaccine was highly required.
China Would Soon Being Testing Bird Flu VaccineNovember 17th, 2005 China announced on Monday that it would soon begin testing its own human vaccines for bird flu. Laboratory tests have already found the vaccines to be safe and effective on mice.