Egyptian and Chinese scientists have developed a new vaccine against bird flu, reports Reem Leila On 25 December, the Ministry of Health announced the death of Egypt's 11th bird flu victim this year, an 11-year- old girl from Luxor who contracted the virus last week after coming into direct contact with infected poultry. The girl was admitted to Luxor Public Hospital in critical condition. She died even though she was administered the standard treatment Tamiflu. Hopefully bird flu fatalities will start to decrease after a research team at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Cairo University developed a new vaccine against the H5N1 virus. The vaccine for poultry was produced in collaboration with the Chinese Academy for Agricultural Sciences Harbin Veterinary Research Institute. Researchers who conducted preliminary tests in China claim the jab will be more effective than imported vaccines in dealing with the strain of the virus found in Egypt. The number of bird flu fatalities since the virus broke out in Egypt in February 2006 is now 38 whereas the number of infections has hit 115. Head of the research team Ahmed El-Senousi, a professor of virus sciences at Cairo University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, said the vaccine was prepared from local strains of the avian flu virus. Preliminary tests conducted for the past three months in China were meant to ensure the effectiveness of the vaccine in inducing antibodies. El-Senousi is optimistic that it can be further developed to combat any possible mutation of the virus. "Finally we found the vaccine which has been tested on local poultry," said El-Senousi. Egypt uses more than one and a half billion doses of anti- bird flu vaccine each year. Until now the private sector has been importing the medicine at an average cost of 30 piastres per dose. "When the vaccine is produced locally the cost will be cut by at least half," predicts El-Senousi. "Initial results have found that the vaccine is 100 per cent effective," El-Senousi said. "However, when tested on Egyptian poultry under local conditions in Egypt, it protects 93 per cent of Egypt's poultry population which is estimated at 850 million birds annually, equivalent to more than two million fowls per day." According to El-Senousi, for the time being the result is the best that can be expected, especially since the project budget has exceeded LE55 million paid equally by the Egyptian and Chinese governments. The new vaccine is effective for one year, though poultry must receive an additional dose six months after getting the first shot. The Veterinary Services Authority (VSA) has already put the old vaccine on the market, as the virus is particularly active during the winter season. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation is providing the vaccine for free to owners of large poultry farms. Individual breeders in rural areas can vaccinate their poultry at VSA-affiliated units also for free. The vaccine's efficacy can be determined approximately 90 days from the date that chickens are first vaccinated. Mona Mehrez, head of the poultry labs at the Ministry of Agriculture, says the vaccine is safe. "When eating poultry consumers will not feel any difference, whether in the taste or the texture of the meat," Mehrez said. The World Bank estimates that a global pandemic resulting from the mutation of bird flu could cost $3 trillion and lead to a five per cent drop in world gross domestic product. More than 70 million people could die worldwide. Egypt has seen an increase in bird flu cases over the past two months. Last month, a 30-year-old female in the Gharbiya governorate died from bird flu. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently launched an investigation into why the virus is still active in several countries and why many of the victims have been children. The new incidences of human contraction underline the importance of putting the locally produced vaccine in production as soon as possible. The vaccine, according to El-Senousi, will be locally produced. A contract will be signed with the Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) to start producing the vaccine and it is expected to be available on the market within the next few months," said El-Senousi. VACSERA Chairman Mohamed Rabie points out that initially only small amounts of the vaccine will be produced, with the quantity being increased as soon as it is approved by the Pharmaceutical Product Association. Even then there will be at least six months of trials before it shifts into mass production. "I believe the whole process until the vaccine is sold on the market will take more than just a few months. It might take a whole year," Rabie said.
