Asia - Bird flu vaccine lab to be set up in Thailand
Published:April 29, 2005
Source :China View
The first hygienic virus-free laboratory for developing bird flu vaccine for fowls will be built in Thailand within several months, local press reported Friday.
In order to develop a vaccine prototype for fowls, a completed hygienic laboratory is needed to ensure accurate results, Yukol Limlamthong, director-general of the Livestock Development Department was quoted by Bangkok Post newspaper as saying.
Located in Phitsanulok, the laboratory will be the first of itskind in the kingdom.
Currently, the researchers are extracting highly virulent components from the virus' genes to obtain less harmful genes that would be developed as the initial prototype of the vaccines.
Yukol said there was no policy to apply those vaccines to animals raised in farms, but they will be needed to contain the spread of the virus in case of a major outbreak.
Livestock experts have warned against the use of vaccines for fear that it could result in the virus mutating into a more virulent strain.
As part of the department's three-year strategic plan to combat bird flu, some 1,000 new officials will be recruited to guard against a possible outbreak.
About 2,200 officials have already be scattered around the country to keep the virus under watch.
