Do Birds Need a Bird Flu Vaccination

CBS News recently reported scientists in the U.S. are preparing to test the first poultry vaccine against bird flu (avian influenza). 

Biden administration officials informed CBS News on February 9, 2023, they have now begun weighing an unprecedented shift in the U.S. strategy to counter the outbreak of bird flu since 2022.

The United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) previously confirmed the Eurasian H5N1 strain appeared in North America in January 2022. 

Since then, APHIS reported over 6,000 H5N1 detections in wild birds affecting 47 states and losing over 58.3 million birds as of February 8, 2023.

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a bird flu vaccine for people, there is not one available for birds.

A spokesperson for Merck Animal Health indicated to CBS News the company has an "extensive, ongoing research program" developing vaccines that can work with Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated (DIVA) strategies.

This approach systematically searches for the virus among vaccinated flocks to prevent undetected spread among immunized birds.

The DIVA strategy uses an inactivated oil emulsion vaccine containing the same haemagglutinin (H) subtype as the challenge virus but a different neuraminidase (N).

The possibility of using the heterologous N subtype to differentiate between vaccinated and naturally infected birds was investigated by developing an "ad hoc" serological test to detect specific anti-N1 antibodies.

In addition, the FDA confirms the annual flu shot is not designed to protect people from avian influenza viruses.

Other bird flu vaccine news is posted at PrecisionVaccinations.