The exact time to develop a vaccine for the H5N1virus is unknown, but it estimated that it will take four to six months.

There currently is no commercially available vaccine to protect humans against the H5N1 virus that is being seen in Asia and Europe. However, vaccine development efforts are taking place. Research studies to test a vaccine to protect humans against H5N1 virus began in April 2005, and a series of clinical trials is underway. For more information about the H5N1 vaccine development process, visit the National Institutes of Health website.

of July 2005, there is no vaccine for the H5N1 virus. However, scientists are working to develop one.

No. The annual flu vaccine only works against seasonal flu strains. Although a vaccine against the H5N1 virus is under development in several countries, any mutant flu virus could cause a pandemic. The vaccine needs to closely match the pandemic virus in order to work, so large-scale commercial production will not start until the new virus has emerged and a pandemic has been declared.

A specific vaccine will take at least 4 to 6 months to produce after the pandemic has emerged. The advanced supply contracts for pandemic specific vaccine were signed with Glaxo SmithKline (GSK) and Baxter in July 2007. The contracts are worth in total ?155.4 million over four years, and are part of the continued work to prepare for and reduce the impact of a possible flu pandemic.

The H5N1 virus can improve its ability to infect humans when "reassortment" occurs, resulting in a new virus with enhanced human transmissibility. This is caused by an exchange of genetic material between human and avian influenza viruses when a human becomes infected with both at the same time. Pigs may also serve as "mixing vessels" for this exchange and then transmit the new virus to humans. Such an event would be announced by a sudden surge of cases with explosive spread.

No, there isn’t a vaccine yet available for this specific type of flu, though work is going on to develop one. There are medicines called antiviral drugs available that may help limit symptoms and reduce the chance that the disease will spread. There have been reports that the flu in some human patients has developed a resistance to some of these antivirals, however. Remember that the H5N1 virus has never yet been detected anywhere in North America.

Influenza A (H5N1) virus – also called “H5N1 virus” – is an influenza A virus subtype that occurs mainly in birds. It was first isolated from birds (terns) in South Africa in 1961. Like all bird flu viruses, H5N1 virus circulates among birds worldwide, is very contagious among birds, and can be deadly.

Our limited knowledge on this subject suggests that bison may be infected for extended periods, in some instances years, before developing MCF. More work is needed on this aspect of the disease.

There currently is no vaccine to protect humans against the H5N1 virus that is being seen in Asia. However, vaccine development efforts are under way. Research studies to test a vaccine to protect humans against H5N1 virus began in April 2005. (Researchers are also working on a vaccine against H9N2, another bird flu virus subtype.) For more information about the H5N1 vaccine development process, visit the National Institutes of Health website.

Yes. On April 17, 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its approval of the first vaccine to prevent human infection with one strain of the avian influenza (bird flu) H5N1 virus. The vaccine, produced by sanofi pasteur, Inc., has been purchased by the federal government for the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile; it will be distributed by public-health officials if needed. This vaccine will not be made commercially available to the general public.

No. Currently available vaccines will not protect against disease caused by the A(H5N1) strain in humans. The WHO and many other organisations worldwide are working towards producing a vaccine against avian A(H5N1) influenza. Candidate vaccines have been produced, which are being evaluated in humans. However mass production of a vaccine will probably not take place unless there is evidence of efficient spread between humans.

In the unlikely event that the vaccinia virus is spread, symptoms may include rash, fever, and head and body aches.

The vaccine virus (Vaccinia) is spread by touching a vaccination site before it has healed or by touching bandages or clothing that have become contaminated with live virus from the vaccination site. Vaccinia is not spread through airborne contagion. Proper handling of the vaccine site includes these three key points: If you touch either the site or materials in contact with the site by accident, clean your hands right away.

The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997. However, the first case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird flu in poultry in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region. The virus caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of whom died. Since that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans.

The H5N1 virus currently infecting birds in Asia that has caused human illness and death is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, two antiviral medications commonly used for influenza. Two other antiviral medications, oseltamavir and zanamavir, would probably work to treat flu caused by the H5N1 virus, but additional studies still need to be done to prove their effectiveness.

The virus can improve its transmissibility among humans via two principal mechanisms. The first is a ???reassortment??? event, in which genetic material is exchanged between human and avian viruses during co-infection of a human or pig. Reassortment could result in a fully transmissible pandemic virus, announced by a sudden surge of cases with explosive spread.

The H5N1 virus may be transmitted to humans through contact with contaminated birds or from contaminated surfaces. Infected birds shed the virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and droppings. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with excretions or surfaces that are contaminated. It is believed that most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces.

You need to monitor your health for signs and symptoms of mumps disease, and if you experience any of these signs or symptoms, you should seek a medical assessment, advising them of the date of vaccination and dates of contact with the case.

The high pathogenic Asian H5N1 strain is a particularly virulent strain of avian flu that was first detected in Southeast Asia in 1997.

To date, transmission from domestic poultry, through contact with infected birds, contaminated surfaces or feces, is the most prevalent way this H5N1 strain of avian flu virus has caused human infection. One single incident of wild bird to human transmission has been recorded as described above.

To date, the high pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu has not been detected in North America. An extensive government surveillance system has been established to detect its arrival should it occur. The World Organization for Animal Health and The World Health Organization maintain web pages devoted to reporting all laboratory confirmed cases of the H5 strains of avian flu in animals and humans based on location.

Transmission of influenza viruses depends on exposure to the virus and adaptation by the virus to the new host. Transmission of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus from humans to animals (including cats, dogs, and birds) has not been documented, but may be theoretically possible under certain circumstances.