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Vaccines developed against new avian influenza strains

Published

10 years ago

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New York:The US researchers have developed vaccines that can protect chickens from two new strains of avian influenza that can be transmitted from poultry to humans.

“We focused on avian influenza virus subtype H5N1, which can get transmitted from chickens to humans (zoonotic strain),” explained one of the researchers Juergen A Richt, professor of veterinary medicine at the Kansas State University.

“So far it has infected more than 700 people worldwide and has killed about 60 percent of them. Unfortunately, it has a high mortality rate,” he pointed out.

The researchers developed the vaccine for H5N1 by combining two viruses.

A vaccine strain of the Newcastle disease virus, a virus that naturally affects poultry, was cloned and a small section of the H5N1 virus was transplanted into the Newcastle disease virus vaccine, creating a recombinant virus.

Tests showed that the new recombinant virus protected chickens against both Newcastle disease virus and H5N1.

Researchers also examined the avian flu subtype H7N9, an emerging zoonotic strain.

Using the same method for developing the H5N1 vaccine, the researchers inserted a small section of the H7N9 virus into the Newcastle disease virus vaccine. Chickens given this recombinant vaccine were protected against the Newcastle disease virus and H7N9.

“We believe this Newcastle disease virus concept works well for poultry,” Richt said.

The new vaccine development method may help researchers make vaccines for avian influenza more quickly.

It also may lead to new influenza vaccines for pigs, sheeps and other livestock, Richt said.

The results appeared in the Journal of Virology.

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Corona

Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

Published

3 years ago

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May 4, 2022

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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