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Intervet provides support to authorities' efforts to halt the spread of bird flu in Asia
THE NETHERLANDS - Intervet, Akzo Nobel’s animal healthcare business, is providing local and international authorities support to combat the avian flu (Avian Influenza) epidemic currently raging throughout Asia. As the world’s largest producer of animal vaccines, including those against avian flu, Intervet has accumulated a wealth of experience in the use of vaccines to deal with outbreaks of highly infectious diseases among animals.
In their talks with governments Intervet experts are able to advise on outbreak control and management including vaccination strategies aimed at helping bring the epidemic to a halt. Intervet is supplying a suitable vaccine for the current outbreak.
The outbreak in Asia has already resulted in several confirmed human deaths caused by close contacts with infected domestic poultry and there is no end in sight to the spread of the avian infection. There are fears that in case of co-infection of humans with avian and human influenza strains, genes will be exchanged resulting in a new virus subtype that can spread directly from person to person. This could lead to a pandemic of human flu. In an effort to eliminate the human threat, prevent animal suffering and save poultry flocks, local and international health and food safety institutions are seeking technical assistance and Intervet is contributing with its expertise.
Prompt control measures backed by good surveillance are of utmost importance to control outbreaks. Experience has shown that vaccination is - in combination with quarantining of infected farms, destruction of infected or potentially exposed flocks and stringent sanitary measures - an effective additional tool for preventing viruses from spreading during the outbreak stage. This is specifically the case in areas with high poultry density. Vaccinated birds have a higher level of resistance to infection than non-vaccinated birds. Vaccinated birds that do become infected with avian flu shed considerably less virus than non-vaccinated birds. Most birds stop shedding virus altogether.
Intervet, one of the world’s top three producers of veterinary products, is involved in vaccination campaigns against avian flu all over the world. It has an inactivated vaccine suitable for protecting poultry against the strain of virus currently causing the outbreak in Asia.
Intervet’s vaccine has been used extensively and very successfully in Hong Kong for the past 2 years in an official governmental Avian Influenza control program.
Disease outbreak of the magnitude now witnessed in Asia could result in a surge in vaccine demand which may outstrip current vaccine stocks and production capacity. In future a better approach to Avian Influenza may be to establish an antigen bank for emergency cases, similar to that for Foot-and Mouth Disease. This would generate availability of suitable vaccines at short notice in emergency cases.
Source: Intervet - 4th February 2004
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