Avian/Pandemic Influenza Daily Digest: DNI Avian Influenza Daily Digest

UNCLASSIFIED

Avian Influenza Daily Digest

December 12, 2008 23:00 GMT

This digest is produced by the United States Government, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Washington DC, USA. Articles and resource documents in this digest are from open sources and unclassified.

This digest contains raw open source content and is not an evaluated intelligence product. Readers are encouraged to contribute updates and/or clarifications that will be posted in subsequent issues of the digest. Articles may contain copyrighted material, further dissemination outside government channels may be prohibited without permission from the copyright owners.

Unsubscribe/Subscribe to the AI Digest
Contact AI Digest Editor/Contribute (U) Information
Contribute (U) Updates/Clarifications to a previously reported article
Contribute (U) Information anonymously

New!

60-Day HPAI H5N1 Outbreak Map
2008 WHO Confirmed Human Cases HPAI H5N1
AI Daily Digest Archive

Article Summaries ...

Quid Novi

OIE: Hong Kong Immediate Notification

OIE: India Follow Up #1

India: Bird flu alert in north Bengal district

Cambodia reports new human case of bird flu

WHO: New Human Case Reported in Cambodia

USA: LPAI Bird Flu Found in Rhode Island Duck

Regional Reporting and Surveillance

Bangladesh: Avian Influenza Outbreak Spreads to Rangpur District
12/12/08 ARGUS--International media report that a new outbreak of avian influenza (AI) or ?bird flu? was confirmed at a poultry farm in Rangpur district on 2 December. Local farmers reported cases of unusual poultry mortality to the district veterinary officer on 28 November. Samples tested positive for Influenza A, and have been sent to the National Reference Laboratory for AI to identify the particular strain. A separate source reports that the unusual mortality, date of outbreak and location strongly suggest that the serotype is H5N1 avian influenza. The source notes that the Rangpur district cases occurred approximately 100 miles from Assam state in neighboring India, where multifocal occurrences of AI was confirmed recently. This confirms recent claims made by Indian authorities about rumored outbreaks in Bangladesh.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance

Thailand: Special operation to prevent bird flu outbreak launched in 9 provinces
Thailand: Special operation to prevent bird flu outbreak launched in 9 provinces
Regional Reporting and Surveillance

Indonesia: Poultry Found in Demak between January and December 2008
12/12/08 ARGUS--A local source reported 30 loci of avian influenza in which 3,656 tails of poultry died suddenly and another 7,707 tails of poultry were culled after being confirmed with the virus in Demak regency, Jawa Tengah [Central Java] Province in 2008. The last case happened in December [the date was unspecified] in which 3 chickens died suddenly in Katonsari village, Demak Kota District. On 22 November, 5 chickens were found dead in Betokan sub-district, Demak Kota District. On 29 November, 4 chickens were infected in Kalitengah village, Mranggen district. Local authorities did not cull the rest of the chicken population in the area. Instead, they sprayed disinfectant and banned sale and slaughter of live poultry from the same farm for at least 2 months.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance

India: Crackdown on border shops
12/12/08 The Telegraph--Dispur today moved the Meghalaya government to take steps to prevent the sale of poultry and poultry products in Ri Bhoi district bordering bird flu-affected Kamrup (metro).
Regional Reporting and Surveillance

India: Concern over disregard to public health
12/12/08 Assam Tribune, contributed by email--Disinfection process in the bird-flu affected areas in Palasbari constituency has come under criticism following utter disregard to the public health, and the alleged inaction of the civil authority has compounded the problems.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance

India: Fears of human bird flu cases rise in India?s Assam
12/12/08 Khaleej Times--India is sending bird flu experts to the northeastern state of Assam and setting up isolation units to treat up to 90 people showing signs of the virus, health authorities said on Friday.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance

Hong Kong: Bird flu investigation groups formed
12/12/08 Hong Kong Govt News--The Food & Health Bureau has formed two groups to investigate the Yuen Long avian influenza outbreak and help the Government formulate more effective measures against the virus.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance

Science and Technology

New bird flu study findings recently were reported by researchers at Department of Agriculture
12/12/08 Viral Weekly, contributed by email--Genetic reassortment of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAI) with currently circulating human influenza A strains is one possibility that could lead to efficient human-to-human transmissibility. Domestic pigs which are susceptible to infection with both human and avian influenza A viruses are one of the natural hosts where such reassortment events could occur," scientists in the United States report.
AI Research

Maryland Researchers Take Aim at Avian Flu Vaccine
12/12/08 Newswise--A University of Maryland-led science team has developed a universal influenza vaccine for animals that may help prevent or delay another human flu pandemic.
AI Research

Lentigen lands grant for avian flu vaccine
12/12/08 Gazette--A new partnership between Lentigen Corp. of Gaithersburg and the nonprofit global health organization PATH seeks to develop a vaccine for pandemic avian flu that can be produced quickly and economically in large quantities for poor nations. Lentigen is receiving $3 million over 27 months from the Seattle nonprofit ? formerly the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health ? to work on the virus-like particle vaccine.
Vaccines

Canada: B.C. lab to provide quick testing for animal diseases
12/12/08 Canadian Press--The doors will open early next year on a new lab that can test for diseases such as avian flu, mad cow disease and West Nile virus.
Science and Technology

Pandemic Preparedness

PandemicFlu.gov Webcast
The scheduled speakers for the next Webcast are: Benjamin Schwartz, MD, Senior Science Advisor, National Vaccine Program Office, HHS Lisa M. Koonin, MN, MPH, Senior Advisor, Influenza Coordinating Unit, CDC Please join us on Wednesday, December 17th at 2 p.m....
Pandemic Preparedness

Full Text of Articles follow ...

Quid Novi

OIE: Hong Kong Immediate Notification

Highly pathogenic avian influenza,
Hong Kong (P.R. China)

Information received on 12/12/2008 from Dr Thomas Sit, Assistant Director , Inspection & Quarantine, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Cheung Sha Wan , Hon Kong , Hong Kong (P.R. China)

Summary
Report type Immediate notification
Start date 08/12/2008
Date of first confirmation of the event 08/12/2008
Report date 12/12/2008
Date submitted to OIE 12/12/2008
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 10/2008
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis Suspicion, Clinical, Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced), Necropsy
This event pertains to the whole country

New outbreaks
Outbreak 1 Yuen Long, HONG KONG
Date of start of the outbreak 08/12/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Farm
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 67968 285 285 67683 0
Affected population There were 67,968 chickens and 25,680 fertilized eggs on this index farm with compulsory avian influenza vaccination program and strict biosecurity measures in place. Unusual mortality was first noted in the sentinel chickens on 8 December. Clinical signs observed included rales, dyspnoea, cyanosis and oedema of the comb and wattle with yellow creamy nasal discharge. Cloacae swabs and chicken carcasses were collected on the same day for laboratory testing. Culling of the chickens and eggs began on 9 December and finished on 10 December.
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak statistics
Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds 0.42% 0.42% 100.00% 100.00%

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

* Under investigation

Epidemiological comments On 11 December 2008, 17,960 chickens were also culled in a chicken farm within the 3-km-radius infected zone. Poultry in the wholesale market (10,704 chickens, 2900 pigeons, 1,420 pheasants, 3,100 silky chickens and 370 chukars) were also culled on 11 December 2008. Initial surveillance using PCR did not detect any H5 in all the other poultry farms in Hong Kong (virus isolation pending). Advice was given to these unaffected chicken farms to administer a booster vaccine immediately. Importation of live poultry was banned and movement of poultry, eggs, fodder and other things in local farms is prohibited for 21 days as from 09 December 2008.

Control measures
Measures applied

* Stamping out
* Quarantine
* Movement control inside the country
* Screening
* Zoning
* Vaccination in response to the outbreak (s)
* Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
* No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied

* No other measures

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type Tai Lung Veterinary Laboratory, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (National laboratory)
Tests and results
Species Test Test date Result
Birds immunohistochemical test 08/12/2008 Positive
Birds polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 08/12/2008 Positive
Birds virus isolation 11/12/2008 Positive

Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

Quid Novi

OIE: India Follow Up #1

Highly pathogenic avian influenza,
India

Information received on 11/12/2008 from Mr Natarajan Gokulram, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi, India

Summary
Report type Follow-up report No. 1
Start date 21/11/2008
Date of first confirmation of the event 27/11/2008
Report date 11/12/2008
Date submitted to OIE 12/12/2008
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 11/2008
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country
Related reports

* Immediate notification (28/11/2008)
* Follow-up report No. 1 (11/12/2008)

New outbreaks
Outbreak 1 Patgaon, Rani, Kamrup, ASSAM
Date of start of the outbreak 28/11/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 7884 682 682 7202
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in a small village.
Outbreak 2 Sarpara, Rampur, Kamrup, ASSAM
Date of start of the outbreak 30/11/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 168054 30 30 168024
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in a small village.
Outbreak 3 Katajhar, Gobardhana, Barpeta, ASSAM
Date of start of the outbreak 30/11/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 10715 18 18 10697
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in a small village.
Outbreak 4 Katla, Pachim Nalbari, Nalbari, ASSAM
Date of start of the outbreak 30/11/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 8406 75 75 8331
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in a small village.
Outbreak 5 Khanapara, Guwahati, Kamrup, ASSAM
Date of start of the outbreak 05/12/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Farm
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 1231 112 112
Affected population a chick rearing farm
Outbreak 6 Nilibari, Sidli Chirang, Chirang, ASSAM
Date of start of the outbreak 05/12/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 1500 399 399
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in a small village.
Outbreak 7 Jalah, Bezera, Kamrup, ASSAM
Date of start of the outbreak 06/12/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 2500 500 500
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in a small village.
Outbreak 8 Ward No. 6, East Revenue Circle, Dibrugarh, Dibrugarh, ASSAM
Date of start of the outbreak 07/12/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 120 120 120
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in a small village.
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 8
Total animals affected
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 200410 1936 1936 194254
Outbreak statistics
Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds 0.97% 0.97% 100.00% **

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter
** Not calculated because of missing information

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

* Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments Epidemiological investigation is ongoing. Stamping out of all domestic poultry is being applied in an approximately 3-km-radius zone around the outbreaks followed by compensation of the owners.
An intensive surveillance campaign has been launched in a 10-km-radius zone including:
- closure of poultry markets and prohibition on sale and transportation of poultry products in the infected zone;
- disinfection of premises after culling and sealing of premises where appropriate.
Restocking will be applied in accordance with a specific protocol.

Control measures
Measures applied

* Stamping out
* Quarantine
* Movement control inside the country
* Screening
* No vaccination
* No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied

* Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
* Dipping / Spraying

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal (National laboratory)
Tests and results
Species Test Test date Result
Birds real-time PCR 01/12/2008 Positive
Birds real-time PCR 03/12/2008 Positive
Birds real-time PCR 09/12/2008 Positive
Birds reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 01/12/2008 Positive
Birds reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 03/12/2008 Positive
Birds reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 09/12/2008 Positive

Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

Regional Reporting and Surveillance

Bangladesh: Avian Influenza Outbreak Spreads to Rangpur District

12/12/08 ARGUS--International media report that a new outbreak of avian influenza (AI) or ?bird flu? was confirmed at a poultry farm in Rangpur district on 2 December. Local farmers reported cases of unusual poultry mortality to the district veterinary officer on 28 November. Samples tested positive for Influenza A, and have been sent to the National Reference Laboratory for AI to identify the particular strain. A separate source reports that the unusual mortality, date of outbreak and location strongly suggest that the serotype is H5N1 avian influenza. The source notes that the Rangpur district cases occurred approximately 100 miles from Assam state in neighboring India, where multifocal occurrences of AI was confirmed recently. This confirms recent claims made by Indian authorities about rumored outbreaks in Bangladesh.

Article URL(s)
http://www.searo.who.int/en/Section10/Section1027/Section2095/Section2462_13930.asp

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12110805/H5N1_Rangpur.html

AI Research

New bird flu study findings recently were reported by researchers at Department of Agriculture

12/12/08 Viral Weekly, contributed by email--Genetic reassortment of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAI) with currently circulating human influenza A strains is one possibility that could lead to efficient human-to-human transmissibility. Domestic pigs which are susceptible to infection with both human and avian influenza A viruses are one of the natural hosts where such reassortment events could occur," scientists in the United States report.

"Virological, histological and serological features of H5N1 virus infection in pigs were characterized in this study. Two-to three-week-old domestic piglets were intranasally inoculated with 10(6) EID50 of A/Vietnam/1203/04 (VN/04), A/chicken/Indonesia/7/03 (Ck/Indo/03), A/Whooper swan/Mongolia/244/05 (WS/Mong/05), and A/Muscovy duck/Vietnam/209/05 (MDk/VN/05) viruses. Swine H3N2 and H1N1 viruses were studied as a positive control for swine influenza virus infection. The pathogenicity of the H5N1 HPAI viruses was also characterized in mouse and ferret animal models. Intranasal inoculation of pigs with H5N1 viruses or consumption of infected chicken meat did not result in severe disease. Mild weight loss was seen in pigs inoculated with WS/Mong/05, Ck/Indo/03 H5N1 and H1N1 swine influenza viruses. WS/Mong/05, Ck/Indo/03 and VN/04 viruses were detected in nasal swabs of inoculated pigs mainly on days 1 and 3. Titers of H5N1 viruses in nasal swabs were remarkably lower compared with those of swine influenza viruses. Replication of all four H5N1 viruses in pigs was restricted to the respiratory tract, mainly to the lungs. Titers of H5N1 viruses in the lungs were lower than those of swine viruses. WS/Mong/05 virus was isolated from trachea and tonsils, and MDk/VN/05 virus was isolated from nasal turbinate of infected pigs. Histological examination revealed mild to moderate bronchiolitis and multifocal alveolitis in the lungs of pigs infected with H5N1 viruses, while infection with swine influenza viruses resulted in severe tracheobronchitis and bronchointerstitial pneumonia. Pigs had low susceptibility to infection with H5N1 HPAI viruses," wrote A.S. Lipatov and colleagues, Department of Agriculture.

The researchers concluded: "Inoculation of pigs with H5N1 viruses resulted in asymptomatic to mild symptomatic infection restricted to the respiratory tract and tonsils in contrast to mouse and ferrets animal models, where some of the viruses studied were highly pathogenic and replicated systemically."
Lipatov and colleagues published their study in Plos Pathogens (Domestic pigs have low susceptibility to H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Plos Pathogens, 2008;4(7):102).

For more information, contact D.E. Swayne, ARS, Dept. of Agriculture, SE Poultry Research Laboratory, Athens, GA, USA.

Publisher contact information for the journal Plos Pathogens is: Public Library Science, 185 Berry St., Ste. 1300, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA.

Regional Reporting and Surveillance

Thailand: Special operation to prevent bird flu outbreak launched in 9 provinces

Maj-Gen. Sanan Kajornprasart, deputy prime minister and also acting minister of agriculture and cooperatives, said that from December 15 to 20, department's teams will disinfect farms in nine lower northern provinces and instruct farm families to separate all poultry from human habitations as a preventative measure against avian influenza.

The nine provinces considered most at risk are Sukhothai, Uthai Thani, Phitsanulok, Uttaradit, Nakhon Sawan, Kampaeng Phet, Pichit, Phetchabun and Tak.

Gen. Sanan said that the operation was an attempt to prevent the spread of bird flu virus to other provinces. Sukhothai and Uthai Thani would be however under a special, closer watch because there have been cases reported there in the past.

Health officials detected the H5N1 strain of bird flu in a dead fowl in Sukhothai's Thung Salium district in late October.

Also, a number of birds were found dead with unknown causes in Nong Chang district of Uthai Thai province in mid-November.

Veterinarian Yukol Limlaemthong, acting director-general of the livestock department, said that the department's technical staff will also inform rural families regarding self-preventative measures to reduce risk of contracting the virus.

Dr. Yukol also advised villagers in the nine at-risk provinces that cockfighting should be avoided during this period.

When asked whether to use bird flu vaccine to control the outbreak, Dr. Yukol said that he was not sure if the vaccine would be effective, as it has been used in Hong Kong during the past six years, but poultry was recently found carrying the bird flu virus.

Regional Reporting and Surveillance

Indonesia: Poultry Found in Demak between January and December 2008

12/12/08 ARGUS--A local source reported 30 loci of avian influenza in which 3,656 tails of poultry died suddenly and another 7,707 tails of poultry were culled after being confirmed with the virus in Demak regency, Jawa Tengah [Central Java] Province in 2008. The last case happened in December [the date was unspecified] in which 3 chickens died suddenly in Katonsari village, Demak Kota District. On 22 November, 5 chickens were found dead in Betokan sub-district, Demak Kota District. On 29 November, 4 chickens were infected in Kalitengah village, Mranggen district. Local authorities did not cull the rest of the chicken population in the area. Instead, they sprayed disinfectant and banned sale and slaughter of live poultry from the same farm for at least 2 months.

Article URL(s)
http://www.radarsemarang.com/daerah/demak/3418-7707-ekor-unggas-positif-ai.html

Regional Reporting and Surveillance

India: Crackdown on border shops

12/12/08 The Telegraph--Dispur today moved the Meghalaya government to take steps to prevent the sale of poultry and poultry products in Ri Bhoi district bordering bird flu-affected Kamrup (metro).

The Assam government also arrested six persons in Guwahati for smuggling birds out of the district in violation of Section 144 CrPC that banned the sale and movement of poultry and poultry-related products.

Meghalaya was alerted after reports came in that shops along National Highway 37 on the inter-state border were selling chicken even after bird flu was confirmed in the Central Chick Rearing Farm in Khanapara on Wednesday evening.

The department of animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries under the Union ministry of agriculture also wrote to the Meghalaya government yesterday, saying culling operations within the 3-km radius from the epicentre of flu outbreak at Khanapara extended to certain areas in Meghalaya.

Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner Prateek Hajela said the state government had taken up the matter at the highest level with its Meghalaya counterpart.

In Guwahati, the four persons ? Nizam Ali, Muqadar Ali, Abdul Rahim and Jehirul Islam ? were arrested for allegedly trying to transport 470 birds from Barpeta to Shillong. Two more men, Rafiq Ali and Sahidul Ali, were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle out 84 birds in a gunny bag. The cases against the six of them under Section 140 have been registered at Basistha police station.

Besides the arrests, both chief minister Tarun Gogoi and chief secretary P.C. Sharma held separate meetings to review the situation. The high-level meeting chaired by Gogoi this evening decided to hike compensation for culled birds. According to the new rates, a culled full-grown duck will fetch Rs 125, a local chicken Rs 90, a brolier Rs 80.

Ri Bhoi deputy commissioner S.F. Khongwir admitted that some people were still selling chicken in the bordering areas of the district with Assam, including Guwahati.

He said soon after receiving the information, policemen were sent to areas where poultry is being sold.

Hajela said till last night, a total of 3,900 birds were culled against a target of about 50,000 in Guwahati. ?At Patgaon ? another avian flu-hit area of Kamrup (metro) ? 16,600 birds have been culled. The culling operation at Patgaon is on its last leg and likely to end by tomorrow evening.?

Two additional central health teams will fly to Assam tomorrow to conduct surveillance of people in areas affected by the flu. The teams from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in New Delhi will join three others already in the state to assist in human surveillance.

The health ministry has already sent 10,000 capsules of Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug, 6,000 surgical masks, 600 personal protective equipment, and two ventilators to the state.

Additional stocks of drugs and masks will be sent in the coming days.

Regional Reporting and Surveillance

India: Concern over disregard to public health

12/12/08 Assam Tribune, contributed by email--Disinfection process in the bird-flu affected areas in Palasbari constituency has come under criticism following utter disregard to the public health, and the alleged inaction of the civil authority has compounded the problems.

Bad odour reportedly emanating from some areas under operation has put the public health into hazard. Pointing out the serious slackness, a source disclosed that entry and exit routes of the infected zone should have been sealed besides keeping strict vigil. He added preventive measures adopted during the operation are not fool proof.

The tamiflu medicine should be given just after the confirmation of the outbreak. But it has not been done so far as preventive step.

The culled poultry-loaded vehicles are seen stationed in the control room premises following the reported non-availability of sites meant for burial pits.

Notably, since December 4 more than 1,56,024 poultry have been eliminated in 11 villages under Palasbari LAC.

AI Research

Maryland Researchers Take Aim at Avian Flu Vaccine

12/12/08 Newswise--A University of Maryland-led science team has developed a universal influenza vaccine for animals that may help prevent or delay another human flu pandemic.

Led by Daniel Perez, a University of Maryland associate professor and virologist, the team has developed a vaccine component that can be used to immunize both birds and mammals from dangerous forms of the flu, including the highly lethal H5N1 avian influenza strain.

This new universal influenza component promises to make it much easier to create a human vaccine capable of protecting humans against lethal avian bird flu strains. In addition, it can be used to vaccinate wild and domestic birds or other species, thus reducing the spread of flu viruses among these populations and decreasing the chance that deadly new human flu strains will spring from these animal reservoirs.

"We now have a vaccine that works in many animal species and can protect against any type of influenza that we want," Perez said, who does his research at the College Park campus of the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (Avian Flu Virus Program).

FROM VIRUS TO VACCINE

The vaccine for a virus is derived from the virus. The vaccine mimics the presence of the virus without causing disease, priming the body's immune system to recognize and fight against the virus. The immune system produces antibodies against the vaccine that remain in the system until they are needed. If that virus, or in some case a closely similar one is later introduced into the system, those antibodies attach to viral particles and remove them before they have time to replicate, preventing or lessening symptoms of the virus.

Perez and his team used genes from the avian flu virus H9N2 to create a live, weakened flu vaccine. This type of vaccine consists of a living but weakened form of a virus that is generally harmless.

"H9N2 is another avian influenza virus with a broad host range. It can infect both birds and mammals," Perez said. "We wanted to try to use the backbone of that virus to create a live but weakened form of the virus and make a one-size-fits-all universal vaccine."

They isolated genes from the H9N2 virus to make up a "backbone" that consists of internal genes common to other flu strains. The backbone can be used as a starting point from which to quickly create other live, weakened flu vaccines because it can be genetically modified at the surface to resemble particular flu viruses for the purposes of vaccination.

"We can attach any surface proteins to this backbone to make a vaccine specific for almost any another influenza virus," Perez said.

Most currently used vaccines offer protection for a specific animal species against a small range of virus strains. These vaccines take a long time to make (about six months for a vaccine tailored for humans) and they generally cannot be shared between species.

An Impending Human Influenza Pandemic

Avian flu viruses are so lethal to humans because they are structurally different from human strains. The human immune system does not recognize these viruses and therefore cannot defend the body against them. Because there is little natural immunity to these strains of viruses in humans, a pandemic would likely result if one of these avian flu viruses mutated to spread easily among humans. Because of increased international travel, such a virus would likely spread more easily and quickly than in past influenza pandemics.

Some avian influenza strains, including the H5N1 and H9N2 strains have shown a limited ability to infect humans who have direct contact with birds, but these virus strains cannot be easily transmitted from human to human. However, 50 percent of humans recently infected with the H5N1 strain have died, sparking growing concern among world health officials about the potential for this strain to cause a human pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says another strain of bird flu virus could mutate and become easily transmissible between humans, causing another pandemic. However, no one knows which influenza strain will undergo such a mutation. The H5N1 avian flu virus has recently caused an influenza pandemic in wild and domestic birds in Eurasian and African countries, and may be a likely candidate.

"In case of pandemic influenza, we will need a vaccine, but we cannot tell ahead of time what the virus is going to look like," Perez said. "We may prepare a vaccine before the pandemic occurs, but we don't know if that vaccine is going to be good enough."

A universal backbone that could immunize many different animal species, like the one that Dr. Perez has proposed, could be modified quickly to create a vaccine for a specific virus.

"A vaccine from this backbone could be deployed much faster than one specifically tailored to humans, because the vaccine would be already available for other animals. All we would have to do is modify it, grow it, and use it in humans. We would not have to remake it from scratch," he said.

NEXT STEPS

Perez and his team have already shown that a vaccine consisting of a weakened form of the H9N2 virus is capable of protecting chickens, their eggs and mice against two other lethal forms of the flu virus, including the highly lethal H5N1 avian flu. This vaccine could be administered to immunize wild and domestic birds against avian flu to minimize spread to humans.

Next they will test the vaccine in other mammals like pigs and ferrets, good models for the human immune system.

While it may be several years before scientists like Perez create an effective vaccine to protect humans against lethal H5N1 or other lethal avian bird flu strains, the universal influenza backbone will make the eventual creation of that vaccine much easier.

Quid Novi

India: Bird flu alert in north Bengal district

12/12/08 The Hindu--An alert for bird flu was sounded on Friday in north Bengal?s Cooch Behar district.

Samples of blood have been sent for the test following the outbreak in the neighbouring districts of Assam. Additional District

Magistrate (D), Cooch Behar, Pannalal Mahapatra, said though there was no report of poultry death, arrangements had been made to disinfect vehicles coming from Assam. Officials of the Animal Resource Development department have sent samples of blood collected from different areas for laboratory tests ? PTI

Vaccines

Lentigen lands grant for avian flu vaccine

12/12/08 Gazette--A new partnership between Lentigen Corp. of Gaithersburg and the nonprofit global health organization PATH seeks to develop a vaccine for pandemic avian flu that can be produced quickly and economically in large quantities for poor nations. Lentigen is receiving $3 million over 27 months from the Seattle nonprofit ? formerly the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health ? to work on the virus-like particle vaccine.

"We are delighted to partner with Lentigen," said Kathleen Neuzil, director of PATH's influenza vaccine development project, in a statement. "Lentigen's technology is versatile and economical, and could be transferred to manufacturers in multiple locations to achieve our goal of developing a pandemic influenza vaccine to meet the needs of people in low-resource countries."

Meanwhile, another Montgomery County company, SimQuest of Silver Spring, is taking a different tack in fighting a pandemic influenza outbreak. The company has won a Small Business Innovation Research contract from the Pentagon to develop a simulation-based planning and training tool for such an outbreak. The result will be a "serious game," a software application that allows medical treatment facility administrators and supervisors to understand the relationships that strategic planning and tactical decision-making have on the spread of disease, according to a SimQuest statement.

In other Maryland bioscience news:

Baltimore biotech Profectus BioSciences has won two contracts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases totaling $21.6 million to develop two HIV vaccines, one a preventive measure and the other a therapeutic product. Phase 1 human clinical trials on both are expected to begin in late 2009. The vaccines were recently licensed to Profectus from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals of Rockville has published in The Lancet results from clinical trials of its circadian regulator, experimental compound tasimelteon, that demonstrate its sleep-promoting effects by resetting the body clock. Circadian rhythm sleep disorders, such as insomnia associated with shift work and travel across time zones, represent a "large public health problem," with the annual economic impact of sleep problems due to night shift work alone estimated at more than $65 billion, according to Vanda.

Human Genome Sciences of Rockville announced that its Albuferon, to treat the inflammatory liver disease chronic hepatitis C, met its primary endpoint of non-inferiority to peginterferon alfa-2a, or Pegasys, in a phase 3 clinical trial. Patients receiving 900 mcg of Albuferon had comparable rates of serious adverse events, severe adverse events and discontinuations due to adverse events vs. Pegasys. The data "show that the efficacy of Albuferon was comparable to Pegasys, with half the injections," said president and CEO H. Thomas Watkins. HGS expects data from the drug's other phase 3 trial in March.

Micromet, a Bethesda biotech that develops antibodies to treat cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, expanded its equity financing instrument with Kingsbridge Capital, a private investment group that has committed to provide up to $75 million of capital during the next three years through the purchase of newly issued shares of Micromet's common stock. Micromet has no obligation to access the facility. The agreement replaces Micromet's 2006 agreement under which Kingsbridge had committed up to $25 million of capital; the company did not raise capital under that agreement.

Gaithersburg's MedImmune has begun a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with chronic asthma to determine the safety of subcutaneous dosing of a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-5 receptor. More than 30 million Americans, including 9 million children, in 2003 reported a history of asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Institutes of Health have estimated asthma-related health care costs in the U.S. at $14 billion annually.

Osiris Therapeutics of Columbia said it completed patient enrollment in its six-month phase 3 trial evaluating its Prochymal stem cell product for treating steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease, a potentially life-threatening complication of bone marrow transplants. All told, 244 patients were enrolled the U.S., Canada, European nations and Australia. Osiris also received approval from Health Canada to begin a pediatric expanded access treatment program for Prochymal, making it more readily available to children with graft vs. host disease. The FDA this year became the first regulatory agency to take this action, making Prochymal available to U.S. children.

Another Maryland stem cell company, Neuralstem, has entered into a collaboration with the China Medical University & Hospital of Taiwan to advance development of the Rockville company's human spinal cord neural stem cell therapies. The work will focus on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Neuralstem expects to file its first investigational new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration for the disease in the fall.

Researchers at the nonprofit Craig Venter Institute in Rockville have published a paper describing what they call a significant advance in genome assembly: The research team can now assemble the whole bacterial genome, Mycoplasma genitalium, in one step from 25 fragments of DNA.

Seegene Inc. of Rockville has received a medical device license from Health Canada for its tests that diagnose a variety of respiratory viruses and pathogens. The company says the test ? which is approved for use in more than 30 nations, but not the U.S. ? can eliminate unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.

Bethesda drug company Sucampo Pharmaceuticals completed enrollment and initial dosing of patients in two phase 3 trials of lubiprostone to treat opioid-induced bowel dysfunction. Pending the results of these and another study, Sucampo expects to apply for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in 2010.

Ore Pharmaceuticals in Gaithersburg completed dosing volunteer subjects in its multiple ascending dose clinical study of its lead drug candidate, GL1001. All dose levels were well tolerated, the company reported. The orally administered small-molecule drug inhibits the ACE2 enzyme and is being tested to treat inflammatory bowel disease and gastritis. Its original indication was obesity.

EntreMed of Rockville has started a phase 1 study of ENMD-2076 in refractory multiple myeloma patients at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis. Multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cell, is incurable but treatable, according to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. In the U.S., 19,920 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2008. More than 56,000 Americans had multiple myeloma in 2005.

Novavax of Rockville, along with the University of Massachusetts Medical School, reported encouraging results from a preclinical study of a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine candidate. Novavax has licensed exclusive worldwide rights from the school to certain technology for developing and commercializing Paramyxovirus vaccines incorporating certain virus-like particles. The candidate "induced strong antibody responses against [the virus], protected mice against ? replication [of the virus] in the lungs, and did not lead to enhanced inflammation of the airways," the company said.

Novavax also reported "favorable" results from a phase 2a human clinical trial of its seasonal influenza vaccine candidate, also based on virus-like particle technology.

Science and Technology

Canada: B.C. lab to provide quick testing for animal diseases

12/12/08 Canadian Press--The doors will open early next year on a new lab that can test for diseases such as avian flu, mad cow disease and West Nile virus.

Agriculture Minister Stan Hagen said Thursday it's the only such facility in Canada that's associated with a provincial veterinary lab to diagnose diseases that can transfer from animals to humans.

Hagen said the lab "ensures we are fully prepared to identify and respond to incidents of animal disease faster and more efficiently. This proactive step benefits animals, industry and the public."

The lab's advanced testing means fewer samples will need to be sent to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's lab in Winnipeg, he said.

The lab, which will open early in the new year, is an addition to the existing Animal Health Centre in Abbotsford, B.C., the hub of the Fraser Valley agricultural area.

The area was the hardest hit in Canada when fears of a human avian flu outbreak were at their peak several years ago.

Two people were infected in a 2004 bird flu outbreak at Fraser Valley poultry farms.

They suffered only mild flu-like symptoms but hundreds of thousands of birds were culled and the province's $350-million-a-year industry was devastated. Up to 1,700 jobs were lost.

Thousands more birds were culled during a 2005 avian flu outbreak over fears the disease could transfer to humans.

The new $14-million testing facility will provide more protection for lab workers from diseases that may infect people as well as animals, Hagen said.

It will feature unbreakable glass and other measures to prevent disease-causing agents from being reintroduced into the environment.

Garnet Etsell, chairman of the B.C. Agriculture Council, said he is pleased the province's diagnostic capabilities will expand when it comes to threatening diseases.

"This new laboratory will help ensure B.C.'s producers have access to some of the best animal health diagnostic services in the country," he said in a statement.