Australian bird flu vaccine trial results "promising"
Friday, February 17, 2006
- 65th human bird flu case reported In Egypt
- Taiwan culls 18000 chickens due to H5N2 virus outbreak
- Bangladesh reports first human case of H5N1 bird flu
- H5N1 Avian Flu virus has mutated, study says
- Wild Canadian Goose tests positive for H5N1 in England
The Australian based pharmaceutical company CSL has announced that despite promising human trials of their bird flu vaccine, more research is needed before the final formula can be developed.
Late last year the Australian federal government gave CSL AU$ 5 million to speed up research into the bird flu vaccine.
The vaccine was tested on 400 Australians aged between 18 and 45 in October last year to determine its safety and effectiveness. The strain of bird flu used for the trials was taken from a bird flu victim in Vietnam and neutralised to prevent it from being contagious.
The next phase of the trial will include 700 people from varying age groups.
CSL has previously indicated that once their vaccine is approved, it could take between three and six months to manufacture enough of the vaccine to inoculate every Australian.
Sources
- Michael Harvey and Jason Frenkel. "Bird flu vaccine on way" — The Herald Sun, February 17, 2006
- "Bird flu trial results due" — The Daily Telegraph, February 16, 2006
