August 17, 2006

Thailand finds new strain of H5N1 bird flu and develops poultry vaccine
 

A new type of the H5N1 strain has been confirmed in Thailand's Nakhon Phanom province, where over 300,000 chickens have previously been culled, Yong Poovorawan, leader of a team of virologists studying the disease said last week. 

The strain is closely linked to the virus strain found in southern China, he said, adding that it is not clear how it crossed the border from there into Thailand.

There are four types of the H5N1 virus in the region: the Thai-Vietnamese type, the Indonesian type, and two other types in China.

The Thai-Vietnamese type has been in Thailand since confirmation of the first outbreak in early 2004.

The impact of the new strain on human health was similar to that of the Thai-Vietnamese type.

Now that there are two types of bird flu strain in the country, control measures would have to catch up to cope with the emergence of the new strain, even if it does not pose a significantly higher threat than the present strain, he said.

It is important for scientists to know the strain of bird flu in Thailand so that the appropriate human vaccines could be developed, Director of the Epidemiology Bureau Kumnuan Ungchusak said.

Meanwhile, the National Institute of Animal Health said it has succeeded in making a vaccine prototype for fowls. Director Pornchai Chamnanpood said complete vaccine production could be accomplished by February next year.