Indonesia to produce AI H5N1 clade 2.3.2 vaccine
In an official letter dated January 3, 2013, the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health (DGLAH) of Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture said it had held a meeting with experts of Avian Influenza (AI) to discuss the strategy to control AI in ducks by vaccination.
At the meeting, DGLAH and AI experts agreed and determined that the master seed of vaccine of AI H5N1 clade 2.3.2 virus is a virus isolate from Sukoharjo coded I B, and the supporter is virus isolate coded III A.
While AI H5N1 clade 2.3.2 vaccines are being produced, DGLAH advises commercial duck farmers to vaccinate using AI H5N1 clade 2.1.3, vaccines that have been registered.
The director of DGLAH, Syukur Iwantoro says, “AI H5N1 clade 2.3.2 vaccines will be soon mass produced. We are targeting this vaccine making it ready for distribution to control the cases of AI in ducks and also chickens in early February 2013.”
The coordinator for Avian Influenza Disease Control Unit (UPPAI) of DGLAH, Muhammad Azhar added, “25 million doses of AI H5N1 clade 2.3.2 vaccines will be produced, while the cost per dose is estimated around IDR 300 – 500 (€0.02-0.04).”
Azhar continued that the vaccine would be produced by government agency Pusvetma and four national vaccine manufacturers: Vaksindo, Medion, Caprifarmindo and Sanbio.
From September 2012 until December 27, 2012, DGLAH recorded a death rate of 152,871 ducks in 10 provinces (Central Java, East Java, DI Yogyakarta, West Java, Banten, Lampung, Riau, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi and Bali) in 51 districts/cities. Laboratory tests from samples collected from dead ducks were positive for AI.
The ducks that died showed clinical symptoms such as torticollis, paralysis, seizures, incoordination, and sudden death. From the histopathological test, lymphocyte infiltration was found in high amounts in the heart muscle. Acute multifocal necrotizing inflammation was found in the brain.
