No genetic mutation of H5N1 in RI: Researcher

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 11/11/2006 11:58 AM

Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia, with the highest number of bird flu infections and fatalities in the world, has so far remained free of the new vaccine-resistant Fujian strain of H5N1, which has been found in China.

The head of the Bogor-based Veterinary Research Institute, Darminto, said studies had been carried on samples from seven veterinary laboratories around the country.

""We found there was no indication of the emergence of a new strain in any of the samples. A recent study of the genetic evolution of the virus shows that what we have is the same as the 2003 strain,"" he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He added that researchers were still on the alert, however, because Indonesia's H5N1 virus came from China originally.

Poultry surveillance had been intensified throughout the country, he said.

""We regularly check the samples and send some to Australia for further study.""

Fear of a more highly pathogenic virus arose after a new strain was found, believed to have been caused by vaccine overdoses. The existing H5N1 vaccine is ineffective against the new strain.

A booming bogus vaccine industry in China has drawn global concern, as many Southeast Asian countries have imported supplies of the vaccine from China. Indonesia has also bought vaccines from Mexico and the Netherlands.

Darminto said he found ""illegal"" vaccines being used by some poultry farmers in Medan, North Sumatra, a year ago. The vaccines were not registered with the authorities and were easy to obtain at the market.

He said it was beyond his authority to discuss the presence of unregistered vaccines in some of the country's markets, but did explain that an ""unregistered (vaccine) is not necessarily fake"".

""I believe we also closely watch vaccine imports but I have no idea how Medan poultry farmers could unregistered ones,"" he said.

On Thursday, the chief executive of the Indonesian National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (Komnas FBPI), Bayu Krisnamurthi, said the country was still far from an immediate bird flu pandemic, although he cautioned that the threat remained.

Of Indonesia's 72 confirmed cases of bird flu in humans, 55 people have died. Bayu said although the disease had been found in 30 of the country's 32 provinces, human infections had only happened in nine provinces.

Poor public awareness of bird flu has contributed to delays in identification, causing a high fatality rate for confirmed cases.

Bayu said the fatality rate, about 75 percent, was due to belated treatment.

""On average, the reported infections are treated five days after onset,"" Bayu said.

Komnas FBPI plans to intensify its public awareness campaign and eventually restructure the animal husbandry sector, a long process expected to begin in 2007.

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