December 28, 2005

Russia tests new bird flu vaccine

Russia's Veterinary Research Institute of Poultry Science said it has recently completed the first round of tests on a new bird flu vaccine.

According to Director Eduard Javadov, the vaccine proved effective in immunising poultry against bird flu, and it would be submitted to the agriculture ministry for approval in January.

Javadov added that if approved, the vaccine would be further tested for effectiveness against the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain. He said the tests could be conducted at a veterinary microbiology research institute in Pokrov town, about 97 kilometres east of Moscow.