Complete decoding of the H5N1 influenza virus genome

Detecting more H3 and H4 viruses on poultry

Complete the production process for H5N1 vaccine for poultry

On the morning of November 15, Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute and Ho Chi Minh City Regional Animal Health Center met and answered a number of issues related to the project. human and poultry products'.

According to Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien - Director of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City - this study was accepted and evaluated excellently by the Ministry of Science and Technology, because this is the first study of Vietnam to fully decode the genome. and build up the genetic map of influenza A virus on humans and poultry in large numbers.

Influenza A virus

This is the initial study and the Institute continues to coordinate with foreign countries to study more deeply and in a long term. The objective of the study is to monitor and identify the genetic changes of influenza A virus and learn how the virus is transmitted from poultry to humans and from human to human .

Dr. Cao Bao Van - Head of Molecular Biology, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City - added: at the report on acceptance of the research topic, there was a representative of the Ministry of Health and this study was approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). ) known. WHO also found that the strains of influenza A H5N1 virus in 2005 changed not only in Vietnam but also in some other countries.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ngo Bao Long - Head of Epidemiology and Diagnosis Department of Ho Chi Minh City Animal Health Center - the unit that cooperates with the Pasteur Institute in the above study, gives more unexpected information: through monitoring Viruses in poultry and the ability to mutate on poultry, the center has detected outside the H5 virus also appears H3 and H4 virus (detected 2/4 aquatic birds with H3, H4 virus).

According to Mr. Long, when poultry has H5 virus and H3 and H4 virus is added, in theory, there can be shared genes among them. However, whether or not the actual situation has not been determined. According to Mr. Long, recently, the Regional Animal Health Center in the city has only focused on finding H5 viruses, and H7 and H9 viruses have not paid much attention due to their low level of impact on poultry.

* The Institute of Biotechnology (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) has completed the process of producing H5N1 flu vaccine for poultry and can transfer and expand mass production. This information was made by Mr. Le Tran Binh, Director of the Institute of Biotechnology, at a meeting to report on the research and development plan of H5N1 influenza vaccine production on poultry in the afternoon of November 15.

According to Mr. Binh, there are now two units approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to allow the production of H5N1 influenza vaccines for poultry as the Central Veterinary Drug Enterprise 1 (Ha Tay) and Veterinary Drug Enterprise. Central 2 (HCMC). Mr. Binh said that if all procedures were approved, in early 2006, about 20-50 million vaccine doses would be produced to serve the next bird flu season.

* For H5N1 vaccine for humans, Deputy Minister of Health Trinh Quan Huan said the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology is also completing the final stages to deploy this vaccine in a universal manner.

LE THANH HA - K.HUNG