Vietnam May Test Bird Flu Vaccines on Human Next Year
Posted on: Wednesday, 12 October 2005, 09:01 CDT
Vietnam may test bird flu vaccines on human next year
HANOI, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam is likely to test vaccines against bird flu virus H5N1 on humans in 2006, after successful tests on fowls, according to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on Tuesday.
The National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology on Monday submitted its proposal on the issue to the Scientific Council of the Ministry of Science and Environment and the Health Ministry, the institute's Nguyen Tran Hien said, adding that his institute is actively preparing for the tests, as well as the production of the vaccines.
The institute began researching the vaccines on human beings last April. Before testing on poultry, tests on monkeys also showed positive results, he said.
To prevent possible bird flu in the approaching winter, localities nationwide are facilitating the vaccination of poultry against bird flu viruses, including the deadly strain H5N1. Vietnam will import an addition of 260 million doses of vaccines from China for usage this month.
To date, 28 cities and provinces nationwide have vaccinated 27. 6 million fowls, including 16.9 million chickens.
The Institute for Tropical Disease in Hanoi said bird flu viruses may resist the medicine named Tamiflu, but noted that in such case, a bigger dose of the medicine and longer treatment time will be given to bird flu patients.
To early detect infections among humans, the Vietnamese Health Ministry is proposing the World Health Organization assist the country in establishing surveillance systems at 800 hospitals nationwide.
In addition, Vietnam is intensifying the detoxification and disinfection of fowl farms in localities nationwide, especially those having large flocks of chickens and ducks.
Such northern provinces as Ha Tay, Vinh Phuc and Bac Ninh plan to reestablish poultry quarantine checkpoints along main roads to monitor the transport of fowls among localities.
The ministry has confirmed that a total of 64 local people from 25 localities had been infected with bird flu since early this year, of whom 21 died.
Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS
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