Tests show two vaccines were effective in countering bird flu from sickening laying hens, reports the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands.
Officials are now pondering what they should do with the vaccines.
So far, no vaccinated chickens have contracted avian influenza after exposure to the virus, while unvaccinated birds in a control group did become sick, the bioveterinary researchers said.
“We examine virus transmission — transmission — after vaccination, as well as survival rate, virus excretion and immune response. Based on these performances, we assess the effectiveness of the vaccines,” scientist Evelien Germeraad said.
The two vaccines being tested in the field study are VECTROMUNE AI from CEVA Animale and VAXXITEK HVT-IBD-H5 from Boehringer Ingelheim.
