Is there a vaccine effective against H5N1 in humans? (WHO)
Updated: 2004-02-02 16:08 No. Currently available
vaccines will not protect against disease caused by the H5N1 strain in humans.
WHO is urgently working together with laboratories in the WHO Global Influenza
Surveillance Network to develop a prototype H5N1 virus for use by leading
vaccine manufacturers.
An available vaccine prototype virus, developed using the 2003 strain of H5N1
(which caused the two human cases in Hong Kong), cannot be used to expedite
vaccine development. Initial analysis of the 2004 virus, conducted by
laboratories in the WHO network, indicates that the virus has mutated
significantly.
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