New vaccine provides improved protection against bird flu, scientists say

Researchers at the U.K.-based Pirbright Institute say they’ve developed a poultry influenza vaccine that’s faster-acting and more efficient than traditional vaccines.

Scientists say the vaccine triggers a rapid immune response that protects chickens against signs of disease and reduces the level of virus they could potentially pass on to other birds. Many poultry flu vaccines protect birds from serious illness and death but don’t prevent them from transmitting virus, Pirbright said.

To make the vaccine, scientists used a new method of vaccine development that they said makes it easier for chickens’ immune cells to detect and neutralize the virus, resulting in a faster and stronger immune response against the H9N2 bird flu strain than the current industry standard. This vaccine, which is made using insect cells in a laboratory, would also be easier and less expensive to produce than traditional flu vaccines made in chicken eggs, according to the announcement.

Study results published in npj Vaccines showed that the vaccine was fast-acting and effective, according to the announcement. Birds produced antibody responses as early as six days after vaccination, and they shed significantly less flu virus when challenged with a natural flu strain, indicating they would be less likely to spread infection.

“Our improved vaccine could help prevent the spread of flu amongst vaccinated birds, which is essential for protecting poultry welfare, increasing production and reducing the risk of avian influenza spreading to humans,” said Munir Iqbal, head of Pirbright’s Avian Influenza Virus group.