News

The challenge of stockpiling avian influenza vaccines

Mittal

As the U.S. stockpiles avian influenza vaccine, there are some who question how effective it will be against the next infection. Viruses constantly change and mutate. Dr. Suresh Mittal is a Professor of Virology with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University; he says there were two strains of avian influenza in the outbreak last spring but they could easily change before the next infestation. “If we get the same H5N2, the vaccine will probably work but if that virus is slightly different, then the vaccine may or may not work.”

Mittal says there are many different types of the H5N1 virus and it is just a matter of time before there are many different variants of the H5N2 strain. Other strains can evolve as well. So instead of stockpiling for just H5N2, Mittal says “We should also stockpile H7 vaccine and H9 vaccine in case those viruses come around.”

Dr. Mittal points to the influenza vaccine developed for humans each year which is an ever-evolving formula based upon the viruses currently most prevalent. There have been times when a totally new virus pops-up rendering the vaccine ineffective but that is the exception.

Mittal talks about vaccine challenges:

Mittal and post-doctoral student Omar Amen conducted a study of an avian influenza outbreak in Egypt in 2010. They found the vaccine used on a large poultry farm offered little protection from the next infection. The study was published in the online journal Virus Research in September.

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published.


 

Stay Up to Date

Subscribe for our newsletter today and receive relevant news straight to your inbox!