Avian Influenza Virus Samples from Mongolia Selected for Human Pandemic Vaccine

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) field veterinarians Drs. William Karesh and Martin Gilbert collected avian influenza virus samples from wild birds in Mongolia, which have been selected by the World Health Organization to be part of a new human pandemic influenza vaccine currently in development. The samples, collected during an outbreak in August, have unique genetic characteristics that make them a valuable addition to a human vaccine. The collaboration between national and international agencies and groups in Mongolia provides a solid example of how the threat of avian influenza can be monitored and countered.

Key Takeaways:

• The avian influenza virus samples collected from wild birds in Mongolia by WCS field veterinarians have been selected by the World Health Organization to be part of a new human pandemic influenza vaccine.
• The samples, collected in August, have unique genetic characteristics that make them a valuable addition to a human vaccine based on a variety of strains of influenza.
• The collaboration between national and international agencies and groups in Mongolia provides a solid example of how the threat of avian influenza can be monitored and countered.
• Wildlife and health experts maintain that indiscriminate culling of wild migratory bird populations would be ineffective in preventing the spread of avian flu.
• Focusing resources on the hubs and activities where humans, livestock, and wildlife come into close contact is the best hope for successfully preventing the spread of avian flu and protecting both people and animals.
• The White House's "National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza" acknowledges the need to "expand and enhance mechanisms for screening and monitoring animals that may harbor viruses with pandemic potential."
• Congressional leaders have introduced legislation aimed at filling existing gaps in U.S. pandemic preparedness by establishing a global network to monitor wild bird diseases.

Statistics:

• The field team collected samples from hundreds of wild birds, including ruddy shelduck, herring gull, black-headed gull, bar-headed goose, and whooper swans.
• The avian influenza virus samples were collected during an outbreak in August that killed wild ducks, geese, and swans in northern Mongolia.
• The United States Department of Agriculture's Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory was able to grow the virus from the Mongolian samples.
• The FAO's chief Veterinary officer, Joseph Domenech, stated that effective teamwork on all levels is the best defense against the potential pandemic of avian influenza.

Sources:

• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
• Health & Medicine Week
• NewsRx.com
• Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT)
• Congressional leaders
• White House's "National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza"