Hungarian scientists develop H5N1 vaccine

Hungarian researchers find H5N1 bird flu vaccine for humans: PM.

Hungarian researchers have devised a vaccine for humans against the current form of the H5N1 bird flu virus, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany revealed.

This vaccine was developed by the Hungarian company Omnivest and has been approved by the country's pharmaceutical authorities, he told a press conference at the firm's laboratories at Bilsborosjeno, near Budapest.

Showing journalists a vial of the vaccine, Gyurcsany said it "contains six micrograms (of an active agent), enough for one person to be immunised against the H5N1 virus."

The vaccine would be used to protect people working in close proximity to diseased birds.

It is not intended, though, as a shield against a feared mutated form of the H5N1.

In its present form, H5N1 is transmissible amongst birds, and humans can catch it if they are closed to fowl which carry the virus.

But it cannot be transmitted from human to human. The fear is that the virus may acquire the genes to do these, triggering a global pandemic.

¡Hurra Hungría!

Posted by Kyer at March 14, 2006 12:27 PM | TrackBack