Newly Designed Vaccine Blocks H5 Avian Influenza In Animal Models

Until now most experimental vaccines against the highly lethal H5N1 avian influenza virus have lacked effectiveness. But a new vaccine has proven highly effective against the virus when tested in both mice and ferrets. It is also effective against the H9 subtype of avian influenza. The research is published online ahead of print in the Journal of Virology. The strength of the new vaccine is that it uses attenuated, rather than "killed" virus. (Killed viruses are broken apart with chemicals or heat, and they are used because they are safer than attenuated viruses...
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Bird Flu / Avian Flu Source Type: news