Indian lab develops local bird flu vaccine

INDIA: India has developed a local version of an animal vaccine to combat the deadly strain of bird flu that spread to the country in February, the agriculture ministry said Sunday.

The vaccine was developed by the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, the only Indian facility able to test poultry for the disease, with an investment of 80 million rupees (1.8 million dollars).

"Viral disease such as avian influenza does not recognize boundaries and the development of indigenous vaccine would go a long way in tackling bird flu effectively," said Mangala Rai, head of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research which oversees the lab.

The arrival of the disease in western India earlier this year led to the culling of more than a million birds, the statement said.

There are fears that if unchecked the disease might spread to humans in the country of more than one billion people, where many live in close contact with poultry.

The virus, which can spread from infected birds to people in close proximity, provokes flu-like symptoms in humans.

New Delhi, Monday, AFP