Scientists find chicken antibodies may help prevent H5N1 pandemic

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-04/ivi-sfc041910.php

Public release date: 19-Apr-2010

Contact: Tae Kyung Byun
tkbyun@ivi.int
822-881-1159
International Vaccine Institute

Scientists find chicken antibodies may help prevent H5N1 pandemic
Tests show efficacy of avian antibodies against influenza virus H5N1 and H1N1 in mice

Scientists have discovered for the first time that antibodies in common eggs laid by hens vaccinated against the H5N1 virus can potentially prevent a possible H5N1 pandemic, raising the possibility that the same principle could be applied to the current H1N1 influenza pandemic.

A team of scientists led by Dr. Huan Huu Nguyen at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and those at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested the efficacy of the avian antibodies against both influenza viruses H5N1 and H1N1 in mice. Chicken antibodies found in egg yolk had been used mainly for treatment of gastrointestinal infections...

 

[gsgs]

Re: Scientists find chicken antibodies may help prevent H5N1 pandemic

how much would it cost ?

in a severe pandemic we can't even afford to stop airtravel ;-)

we heard about horse antibodies before

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Scientists find chicken antibodies may help prevent H5N1 pandemic

Sounds fascinating. It also sounds like something we should be pursuing with vigor.

Some years ago I knew someone who had an egg ranch. They commonly sold slightly cracked or otherwise slightly compromised shells to people at a significantly lower price than regular eggs. These eggs were called 'checked' eggs. I wonder if this practice is common in those areas of the world where H5N1 infection is endemic? I can already list a number of questions I would love to know the answers too.

• If there are antibodies in people who eat eggs from previously inoculated chickens, then would it lower the number of cases in workers from infected egg factories?
• Are there then very few H5N1 infected egg factory workers despite being exposed to the virus?
• Or, would it only affect the severity of the disease and workers and the infection rate remains the same?

How does eating eggs from inoculated chickens affect people who do not actually work in the chicken sheds?

• If they tote a lot of eggs home to family how does it affect the infection rate?
• Would it limit the number of second generation infections?
• Has it already done so?

What tests are currently being done to assess the validity of this announcement? Can this be done for flus other than H5N1? How long does it take for the eggs to contain the antibodies? Does it last the life of an egg-laying chicken?

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Scientists find chicken antibodies may help prevent H5N1 pandemic

I could not resist to ask the opinion of Ida, from Bird Flu Information Corner on this:

The antibody in eggs of vaccinated chickens has been studied well before. I doubted that it can be effectively protect individu from infection.

First, because they isolated the Ab from the egg, it means the Ab has been purified and concentrated in adequate amount. But how many eggs it takes to get adequate amount?

Second, I don't know why don't they just collect the Ab from the chicken it self?? It's easy, only take the serum, you'll get high concentration Ab and inject it (or spray?), no need to purify.

I'm not sure we can be protected by eating eggs. But maybe.. if we collect about 10 kg egg and spray it into our nose..

But the idea of nasal spray Ab is cool.

Ida