Avian Flu Surveillance System in Russia Finds Avian flu H5N1 in Siberian Birds

The avian influenza surveillance system developed by BII over the past two years yielded a significant finding in the final week of July 2005, when Russian scientists from the State Research Center for Virology and Biotechnology (VECTOR) identified a new strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 in the Novosibirsk region of Russia . This strain of H5N1 was found first in samples that were obtained from dying chickens and ducks in the Novosibirsk region of Siberia . Russian scientists have now found H5N1 in a number of other regions of Russia , suggesting that this strain of influenza had already spread significantly within the Former Soviet Union, notably into the adjacent region of Kazakhstan . Following this discovery, both Kazakhstan and Mongolia have disclosed that H5N1 has been found in their poultry stocks as well.

The findings are significant for a number of reasons: (1) This is the first time that H5N1, the strain of avian influenza that may cause the next great flu pandemic, has been isolated and identified in Russia and outside of a seven country region in Asia; (2) These findings reinforce the timeliness of BII's effort to create a novel "early warning system" for newly emerging strains of Influenza, and the importance of this system’s prime location along a major migratory bird pathway in south-central Siberia.

In response to the identification of H5N1, the Russian government has begun to cull and quarantine infected poultry, instituted strong regulatory measures in the affected regions and started home inspection and evaluation of people exposed to infected animals. The Vector-based team has now expanded its responsibilities to help assist the regional health care network to quickly diagnose any human cases that might occur. Prior to this identification of highly pathogenic H5N1, the VECTOR team had isolated a low pathogenic H5N1 strain that could potentially be used to develop a vaccine against H5N1.

BII and CIMIT-Russia Honored with the Edward M. Kennedy Award for Healthcare Innovation for the Russian Avian Flu Program

Dr. Jason E. Rao, Director of the BioIndustry Initiative (BII) and Dr. Michael V. Callahan, CIMIT-BII Biodefense Program Leader, were honored with the Edward M. Kennedy Award for Healthcare Innovation in recognition of their efforts to establish the BII-sponsored Russian Avian Influenza Surveillance Program. At the Award Ceremony in Boston, Senator Kennedy delivered a taped message to congratulate BII, CIMIT and the entire Russian Flu team for their pioneering work. Other members of the Avian Flu Team honored at the ceremony included: Russian scientists from VECTOR - Dr. Alexander Shestopalov and Dr. Vasily Evseenko; CIMIT-BII Team Members - Dr. Jeffrey A. Gelfand, Irene Lerman and Dan Blumenthal; and U.S. collaborators - Dr. Robert Webster of St. Jude’s Hospital for Children in Memphis, Dr. David Swayne from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Nancy Cox from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The Edward M. Kennedy Award for Healthcare Innovation, first given in 2002, was named for Senator Kennedy, who has consistently demonstrated his passion and commitment to innovation and medical research that will change the course of health care in America and beyond.