WHO advises on H7N9 strain for vaccine development
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a specific strain of avian influenza A(H7N9) to be used in the development of a H7N9 vaccine for pandemic purposes, according to a statement Thursday.
This negatively-stained transmission electron micrograph (TEM) captured some of the ultrastructural details exhibited by the new influenza A (H7N9) virus.
Image/Cynthia S. Goldsmith and Thomas Rowe
The global health body recommends the use of an A/Anhui/1/2013-like virus as it elicits antibodies that react well with all viruses tested.
More specifically, the WHO notes:
To date, the HA sequences of 123 A(H7N9) viruses(54 viruses from 44 human cases and 69 avian/environmental viruses) have been deposited in genetic sequence databases. Genetic analysis of the HA genes indicated limited heterogeneity among these viruses. Antigenic analyses of 45 viruses from humans, animals and environment with post-infection ferret antisera indicated that the provisionally recommended vaccine virus, A/Anhui/1/2013-like virus3, elicits antibodies that react well with all viruses tested.
The candidate vaccine virus and other H7N9 strains are being shared under the WHO’s Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework, the WHO notes.
Since the outbreak began in China in March, public health authorities in China have reported a total of 135 human cases of novel avian influenza A(H7N9) infection, including 44 deaths.
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