Texas Biomedical Researchers study potential Bird Flu treatments and vaccines – WOAI

Texas Biomedical Researchers study potential Bird Flu treatments and vaccines

by SBG San Antonio Staff Reports

Texas Biomed has broadened the scope of its vaccine research to include Avian Influenza amid recent concerns. (Getty Images){p}{/p}

SAN ANTONIO - Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) has announced its researching potential vaccines and antivirals that could combat Avian Influenza, also known as H5N1 or Bird Flu.

These will be intended to combat strains that mirror those found in cows and chickens, and now one person in Texas.

This is only the second case of Bird Flu found in Humans in the United States, which officials say was contracted through contact with Dairy Cows.

Thankfully, the risk of the current H5N1 case becoming widespread among people remains low, says Larry Schlesinger, M.D., Texas Biomed President and CEO. But viruses adapt and evolve especially influenza viruses which is why it is so critical to be studying them and developing vaccines and treatments well before they are needed.

Researchers at Texas Biomed are using techniques learned from years of vaccine development for both Seasonal Influenza as well as the recent developments made as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new initiative, hosted by Professor Luis Martinez-Sobrido, Ph.D.s laboratory, will see the scope of research increased to include Avian Influenza, testing if current vaccines and antivirals would have any effect on stopping the spread or mitigating the virus impact.

The genetic sequencing analysis from the CDC indicates that the H5N1 strain found in the patient does not have any mutations associated with resistance to current antiviral drugs, says Prof. Martinez-Sobrido. However, it is important to continue developing an array of countermeasures in case existing ones lose effectiveness.

Fewer than 900 cases of bird flu infecting humans have been reported globally since 1996, however, infection has a fatality rate of about 50%.

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