March 12, 2004

China Produces Two New Bird Flu Vaccines

Chinese scientists have developed two new vaccines for the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, the Ministry of Agriculture announced Thursday.

The new vaccines are safer and more effective than previous versions developed at home and abroad, the ministry's spokesman said.

Laboratory studies showed the two new vaccines can produce highly intensified antibodies that target the H5N1 virus and can remain effective within an animal's immune system for as long as 10 months, much longer than other vaccines of its kind in the world, scientists said.

Developed by more than 30 Chinese scientists from two national key laboratories, the new vaccines got preliminary approval from the National Agricultural Bio-Safety Committee and the ministry's Animal Medicine Evaluation Committee.

Thanks to their safety and efficiency in small-scale trials, the new vaccines have been put into large-scale production and are expected to be used widely on poultry and birds.

"The new vaccines will give the fight against bird flu a powerful boost, both in China and the rest of the world," the spokesman said.

The virulent H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus is proving difficult to stamp out, with new and recurring outbreaks among poultry despite the slaughter of 100 million birds. Experts said culling is by far the most effective way to combat the disease, though it can also worsen the plight of poor farmers unless they get help.