Scientists in Vietnam seek Bird Flu vaccine

Scientists in Vietnam are trying to develop a vaccine for poultry, to fight a new strain of bird flu. The disease is spreading quickly among ducks and chickens. So far there have been no human infections.

  

Why is Bird Flu Dangerous?

It is a serious threat which has become common in many Asian countries. It has caused millions of poultry death and even has taken lives of many humans. The strain of bird flu which infected many people in Middle East and Asia is called H5N1.

It is a dangerous one and was caught up by birds directly. So, it is very necessary to do proper cure of this disease as it is able to cause serious illness and has got the capability of spreading quickly.

Common Symptoms of Bird Flu

Generally, bird flu has got similar symptoms as that of any other flu but it is found to be more severe than common flu with high effects on respiratory system. It can also infect digestive tract and brain of humans. That is why, in many cases, it may start like an ordinary flu but gradually becomes highly intense making it incurable.

It is advisable to consult your nearest doctor in case of any flu symptoms. This can help to diagnose it in early stage for instant treatment. As prevention is better than cure, proper tests conducted at early stage can help to fight with it in a better way.

Using Avian Flu Vaccine for Cure:

In order to produce a new vaccine in large quantities which is able to protect against a subtype of this virus, several months are required. One big problem is that this virus is able to kill the chicken eggs used for mass producing flu vaccines. One big alternative which is under consideration nowadays is to make the vaccine from a related strain which is not egg killing. This can be taken from ducks in Singapore.

 

Avian Flu Treatment:

One problematic feature is that the bird flu strain is unaffected by older flu drugs. However, some new flu drugs are really effective like Tamiflu and Relenza. The supply of these effective newer drugs is considerably low as per requirement. The reason is that the work of stockpiling the drug is being carried out so far by a very few developed countries like Britain and America.

Research is being carried out widely for the use of other antiviral drugs too, which can be helpful in prevention as well as treatment against this virus. So far, they have got some limitations which can be overcome by conducting a more thorough and proper research.

Map showing countries where cases of H5N1 bird flu have been confirmed