The company that released contaminated flu virus material from a plant in Austria confirmed Friday that the experimental product contained live H5N1 avian flu viruses. And an official of the World Health Organization’s European operation said the body is closely monitoring the investigation into the events that took place at Baxter International’s research facility in Orth-Donau, Austria.
“At this juncture we are confident in saying that public health and occupational risk is minimal at present,” medical officer Roberta Andraghetti said from Copenhagen, Denmark. “But what remains unanswered are the circumstances surrounding the incident in the Baxter facility in Orth-Donau.” The contaminated product, a mix of H3N2 seasonal flu viruses and unlabelled H5N1 viruses, was supplied to an Austrian research company. The Austrian firm, Avir Green Hills Biotechnology, then sent portions of it to sub-contractors in the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Germany.
The contamination incident, which is being investigated by the four European countries, came to light when the subcontractor in the Czech Republic inoculated ferrets with the product and they died. Ferrets shouldn’t die from exposure to human H3N2 flu viruses. Public health authorities concerned about what has been described as a “serious error” on Baxter’s part have assumed the death of the ferrets meant the H5N1 virus in the product was live. But the company, Baxter International Inc., has been parsimonious about the amount of information it has released about the event.
On Friday, the company’s director of global bioscience communications confirmed what scientists have suspected.
“It was live,” Christopher Bona said in an email.
The contaminated product, which Baxter calls “experimental virus material,” was made at the Orth-Donau research facility. Baxter makes its flu vaccine – including a human H5N1 vaccine for which a licence is expected shortly – at a facility in the Czech Republic. People familiar with biosecurity rules are dismayed by evidence that human H3N2 and avian H5N1 viruses somehow co-mingled in the Orth-Donau facility. That is a dangerous practice that should not be allowed to happen, a number of experts insisted.
Why is it we have heard nothing about this in Amerika? Will this make you think twice about taking your flu shot?
#20–Li==thank you. And for your thoughtful followup. I see my own logic error. If 50% of flu strains aren’t affected by the vaccine, then indeed “the” vaccine won’t be effective because we get exposed to more than just one strain of flu each season.
See–your input was not wasted. I can also see “the establishment” coasting on old models of intervention that used to work until they hit the new monster. Thats psychology–as you (should) say, not malevolence==but I worship science so much, I gotta think there is some incompetence there if the referenced study is correct?
After all, on average, aren’t we all average?
LOL Indeed. And that was a thoughtful response Bobbo, forgive my snark in post #20.
#22–Li==snarky? I missed it. Even missed it on rereading. When you contest the dismal science with the likes of Paddy-Zero, Contempt for all that is not Slime, and other LIEBERTARIANS, I guess the blinders come up.
Makes me wonder then if vaccines cause autism? That has also been hotly denied by the science establishment.
How do you know what you know, and how do you change your mind? How do you act rationally in a world of dispute?
#20, Li,
Flu vaccines are mostly a guess, yes. BUT, they do have a fairly good hit rate and are still highly recommended. Especially for adults.
For most people, if they don’t offer immunity, they will lessen the severity of any infection.