Russian H1N1 seed virus for vaccine trials mutates

BANGKOK, Aug 25 (TNA) – The seed virus strain imported from Russia to produce a vaccine against Influenza Type A (H1N1) has mutated so that the vaccine production should be delayed, Prof Theerawat Hemajutha of the Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine said Tuesday.

Prof Theerawat said genetic decoding of the virus by Mahidol University found that a mutation had occurred in the seed virus from Russia that was to be used for Thailand’s vaccine trials.

Thailand’s agencies concerned met at the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday and discussed the issue, concluding that the vaccine production and trials should be delayed as the seed virus strain was unstable. The production and trials may be too early, he said.

He said the meeting would report the issue to the Ministry of Public Health’s ethics committee to make the final decision whether to continue with the vaccine production or not. However, the trials may continue by using seed virus from China, he said.

In addition to the problem of an unexpectedly low yield of hen egg virus culture, Prof Theerawat said Thailand has also not yet determined the location for the vaccine pharmaceuticals laboratory for full production of the vaccine following successful trials.

With a population over 60 million persons, Thailand should produce sufficient vaccine to treat a population of 40 million, he said, or two-thirds of the populace.

If existing vaccine production for livestock is upgraded to produce vaccine for human use, it will take some 17 months to meet the production target. However, if a new factory must be built, it will take 74 months—more than six years, he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Health started distributing children’s formula of the anti-flu drug Oseltamivir to state hospitals countrywide, according to Deputy Permanent Secretary Dr Paijit Warachit.

Distribution of children’s formula Oseltamivir will help young patients in the provinces gain access to the treatment before their conditions become aggravated. (TNA)