The government said it will not approve release of a vaccine against the worst U.S. epidemic of avian influenza in poultry because none of the drugs now available works well enough. “Currently, there is lack of a well matched, effective vaccine for HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza] from the public and private sectors. The vaccine currently available offers just 60 percent effectiveness in chickens, leaving 4 in 10 birds unprotected,” said the USDA. “The vaccine’s effectiveness in turkeys is still being studied.”
Turkey growers in Minnesota had asked for approval of a bird-flu vaccine, said Reuters. Minnesota, the No. 1 turkey state, has suffered 106 outbreaks, affecting 8.9 million fowl, according to state officials. The USDA’s running tally lists 207 confirmed cases with losses of 45 million birds, mostly turkeys and egg-laying hens, killed by the virus or culled to prevent its spread. Iowa, the leading state for egg production, was the state hardest hit, with 68 farms and 29 million birds affected.
In a statement, the USDA said it “will continue to encourage development of vaccines for HPAI and will approve vaccines as they are developed and evaluated.” Besides the efficacy of the vaccine, the department said it would take into account the likely reaction of export customers. “Some significant trading partners have indicated” they would ban imports of poultry and eggs until they could complete a risk assessment of a U.S. vaccine. At present, U.S. shipments are barred to countries that represent 16 percent of normal poultry and egg exports.
“If used, vaccines will be targeted in the states and poultry sectors where they can be most effective. Areas where quarantine, depopulation, and enhanced biosecurity cannot stop the spread of HPAI would be prioritized,” said the USDA.
More than $160 million has been tabbed as compensation to poultry owners for loss of their flocks, said the USDA, “and we will continue to ensure adequate resources remain available to support a robust response.”
Egg supplies are crimped because of the culling of millions of laying hens. Foodmakers are worried about getting enough eggs to keep production lines running and restaurants worry about menu restrictions, reports NPR, adding that the USDA has approved import of pasteurized eggs from Holland. “The trade decision is another emergency measure taken in light of the largest-ever outbreak of avian flu in the United States,” says NPR.