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Powder Tom Polansek
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The U.S. government is testing four possible avian flu vaccines in poultry, officials said on Friday, after more than 58 million chickens, turkeys and other poultry died in the worst outbreak of the disease in U.S. history. country.
Conducted by the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service, the tests are the first step in a long process towards the possible first use of vaccines to protect US poultry from the lethal virus.
Also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), avian influenza has killed hundreds of millions of birds worldwide, raising interest in vaccines. The virus is widely spread by wild birds that transmit it to domestic animals.
The USDA is testing a vaccine from Zoetis Inc (NYSE:) , one from Merck Animal Health and two developed by the department’s Agricultural Research Service.
Zoetis said it already supplied its vaccine to a USDA stockpile in 2016 after a large 2015 outbreak, but it was never used.
Initial data from a single-dose vaccine study is expected in May, while results from studies of two-dose vaccine regimens are expected in June, the USDA said.
If the trials are successful and the USDA decides to continue development, it will take at least 18 to 24 months for a vaccine that matches the current virus to be commercially available, the agency said.
The government needs to ensure vaccines don’t disrupt trade with key buyers, said Greg Tyler, president of industry group USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
Governments have already focused on culling infected flocks to control the virus due to concerns that importers would block shipments of vaccinated birds to avoid the risk of infections.
The USDA said on Friday that its “current strategy to eliminate and eradicate HPAI … remains the most effective strategy because it works.”
France said last week it was launching an order for 80 million doses of vaccines for use in ducks in the autumn period if final test results are positive, potentially becoming the first EU member country to initiate such a plan.
(Reporting by Tom Polansek)