Is there a bird flu vaccine?

In theory a bird flu vaccine cannot be developed until a pandemic bird flu virus exists and as yet it does so people should beware of on line and other adverts for bird flu vaccine. It is currently believed that the normal winter flu vaccine will provide no protection whatsoever against bird flu.

Flu vaccines are usually created by letting the virus grow inside an egg and then they are deactivated. This process can take several months and if a pandemic virus did evolve, then the current method of production would most likely not produce enough vaccine and not produce it in the timeframe required before the virus had spread through the human population.

A couple of confusing stories have made it into the press recently, they offer some hope of containing a pandemic,but are not cast iron guarantees.

• Scientists have developed an effective vaccine for bird flu in poultry. This is a vaccine for the poultry itself an stops the spread of the virus among the vaccinated poultry population. It may however reduce the spread of the virus in the bird population as a whole, although obviously wild birds are unlikely to be inoculated and hence reduce the risk of the avian version of the virus mutating to the human pandemic form.
• Scientists have created a vaccine for humans based on their best guess about the pandemic version of the flu virus. Several governments have stockpiled versions of this vaccine that will most likely be given as a priority to healthcare workers. It is unlikely this vaccine will fully protect against bird flu, although it may afford some measure of protection, or reduce the severity of the symptoms.
• Scientists have genetically engineered a vaccine for the H5N1 strain of the virus which protects mice from the virus. This development may lead to a future human bird flu vaccine, but that is something that is some distance off. Rodents though will no doubt be delighted by news of this breakthrough!