October 27, 2009
AH1N1 gives livestock immunity to bird flu
Pigs infected with a flu virus closely related to the pandemic AH1N1 strain developed immunity to bird flu, indicating that those affected by AH1N1 may have some bird flu resistance, according to a study by Dr. Kristien Van Reeth from Belgium's Ghent University.
Researchers infected 25 pigs with the H5N1 bird flu virus, 12 of which had been infected with AH1N1 virus four weeks ago.
They found that AH1N1 gave the pigs immunity to bird flu, as none showed symptoms of the infection. Those who were infected with only H5N1 showed symptoms of bird flu.
Van Reeth said there was also a very strong protection against the replication of the virus in the respiratory tract.
The virus was isolated from respiratory tract tissue in three of the 10 animals tested that were infected with both viruses. By comparison, H5N1 was isolated from all of the other pigs tested. These immune responses could last up to two years in the pigs, she added.
Andrew Pekosz, from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland, believes there is a "good possibility" that something similar would be seen in humans.
