Treyfish
Moderator
A ProMED-mail post
In this update:
[1] New vaccine
[2] Transmission model
******
[1] New vaccine
Date: Mon 8 Jun 2009
Source: The Poultry Site [edited]
<http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/17890/new-recombinant-h5n1-vaccine-virus-available>
A new H5N1 recombinant vaccine virus has been developed by the WHO
Collaborating Center for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and Control
of Influenza at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (WHO
CC), Atlanta, USA from A/Egypt/2321-NAMRU3/2007 (H5N1; Clade 2.2.1),
thanks to the Ministry of Health & Population of Egypt for providing
the virus specimens.
This recombinant vaccine virus is available for distribution, under a
Material Transfer Agreement (MTA).
As with all seasonal and A (H5N1) influenza viruses, WHO has selected
and used for vaccine development, the sequences of the haemagglutinin
(HA) and neuraminidase (NA) of A/Egypt/2321-NAMRU3/2007, can be found
on the public web site of GenBank:
HA Sequence and NA Sequence [are available in the original article at
the URL above].
Institutions, companies, and others interested in pandemic vaccine
development, who wish to receive these candidate vaccine viruses
should contact either the WHO Global Influenza Programme
(<GISN@who.int>) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
at the address below:
WHO Collaborating Center for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and
Control of Influenza,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Influenza Division, NCIRD, CCID
1600 Clifton Rd, MS G-16, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
Fax: (404) 639-2350
<rvd6@cdc.gov> (Attention: Dr Ruben Donis)
Studies on the antigenic properties of A (H5N1) vaccine viruses and
their relation to the emerging H5N1 viruses are ongoing in the WHO
Global Influenza Surveillance Network.
The Global Influenza Program has been closely monitoring the
antigenic and genetic evolution of the circulating viruses,
especially human virus isolates. Countries are encouraged to share
with WHO their specimens and/or isolates, both from humans and
animals, for their inclusion in the WHO H5N1 vaccine virus
development and selection process, in addition to other activities of
public health significance.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
[This report illustrates the need to share viral isolates and
maintain an international repository. One hopes that other countries
will share their isolates, and benefit from the development of new
vaccines. - Mod.TY]
2] Transmission model
Date: Mon 8 Jun 2009
Source: UPI (United Press International) [edited]
<http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/06/08/Indirect-transmission-can-spread-bird-flu/UPI-14611244483018/>
US scientists have created the 1st model of the avian influenza
viruses that takes into account both direct and indirect transmission
among birds. University of Georgia researchers said their model has
the potential to shed new light on how outbreaks begin in wild bird
populations.
"The environmental transmission of avian influenza among birds is
quite rare, but our model shows that it can play an important role in
outbreaks," Professor Pejman Rohani, the study's lead author, said.
"There are situations where ignoring the possibility of environmental
transmission would cause you to significantly underestimate the
probability, magnitude, and duration of an outbreak."
Rohani said current models of avian influenza only take into account
the direct transmission of the virus that occurs when infected
waterfowl and shorebirds shed the virus in their feces and those
nearby drink contaminated water. But the new study shows some avian
influenza viruses can persist in water for up to 150 days.
So even when no infected birds are present, Rohani said, virus
present in the water can trigger an outbreak. He said models that
only take into account direct transmission would incorrectly conclude
there is no risk of an outbreak when no infected birds are present.
The findings appear in the early online edition of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences [available at
<http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/06/03/0809026106.full.pdf+html>].
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
:tiphat:http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,77880
In this update:
[1] New vaccine
[2] Transmission model
******
[1] New vaccine
Date: Mon 8 Jun 2009
Source: The Poultry Site [edited]
<http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/17890/new-recombinant-h5n1-vaccine-virus-available>
A new H5N1 recombinant vaccine virus has been developed by the WHO
Collaborating Center for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and Control
of Influenza at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (WHO
CC), Atlanta, USA from A/Egypt/2321-NAMRU3/2007 (H5N1; Clade 2.2.1),
thanks to the Ministry of Health & Population of Egypt for providing
the virus specimens.
This recombinant vaccine virus is available for distribution, under a
Material Transfer Agreement (MTA).
As with all seasonal and A (H5N1) influenza viruses, WHO has selected
and used for vaccine development, the sequences of the haemagglutinin
(HA) and neuraminidase (NA) of A/Egypt/2321-NAMRU3/2007, can be found
on the public web site of GenBank:
HA Sequence and NA Sequence [are available in the original article at
the URL above].
Institutions, companies, and others interested in pandemic vaccine
development, who wish to receive these candidate vaccine viruses
should contact either the WHO Global Influenza Programme
(<GISN@who.int>) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
at the address below:
WHO Collaborating Center for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and
Control of Influenza,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Influenza Division, NCIRD, CCID
1600 Clifton Rd, MS G-16, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
Fax: (404) 639-2350
<rvd6@cdc.gov> (Attention: Dr Ruben Donis)
Studies on the antigenic properties of A (H5N1) vaccine viruses and
their relation to the emerging H5N1 viruses are ongoing in the WHO
Global Influenza Surveillance Network.
The Global Influenza Program has been closely monitoring the
antigenic and genetic evolution of the circulating viruses,
especially human virus isolates. Countries are encouraged to share
with WHO their specimens and/or isolates, both from humans and
animals, for their inclusion in the WHO H5N1 vaccine virus
development and selection process, in addition to other activities of
public health significance.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
[This report illustrates the need to share viral isolates and
maintain an international repository. One hopes that other countries
will share their isolates, and benefit from the development of new
vaccines. - Mod.TY]
2] Transmission model
Date: Mon 8 Jun 2009
Source: UPI (United Press International) [edited]
<http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/06/08/Indirect-transmission-can-spread-bird-flu/UPI-14611244483018/>
US scientists have created the 1st model of the avian influenza
viruses that takes into account both direct and indirect transmission
among birds. University of Georgia researchers said their model has
the potential to shed new light on how outbreaks begin in wild bird
populations.
"The environmental transmission of avian influenza among birds is
quite rare, but our model shows that it can play an important role in
outbreaks," Professor Pejman Rohani, the study's lead author, said.
"There are situations where ignoring the possibility of environmental
transmission would cause you to significantly underestimate the
probability, magnitude, and duration of an outbreak."
Rohani said current models of avian influenza only take into account
the direct transmission of the virus that occurs when infected
waterfowl and shorebirds shed the virus in their feces and those
nearby drink contaminated water. But the new study shows some avian
influenza viruses can persist in water for up to 150 days.
So even when no infected birds are present, Rohani said, virus
present in the water can trigger an outbreak. He said models that
only take into account direct transmission would incorrectly conclude
there is no risk of an outbreak when no infected birds are present.
The findings appear in the early online edition of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences [available at
<http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/06/03/0809026106.full.pdf+html>].
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
:tiphat:http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,77880