STORY BEHIND H1N1 VACCINE

Fear over the H1N1 virus spreading the globe is every body aware, even suggested that the swine flu virus is not as deadly as initially feared. Now it has become necessity taking steps to produce vaccine.
WHO now termed it as “unstoppable”
Normally, it takes about 25 weeks for a new influenza virus to cover the globe. But H1N1 reached all continents within 9 weeks.
“ The flu transmission did not stop even after the hot summer / temperature raises, and studies also indicating that “ PEOPLE BORN AFTER 1975 WERE MORE VULNERABLE DUE TO INABILITY OF IMMUNE SYSTEM “
When we eye on more details on vaccine preparation, the technology includes “ CELL CULTURE BASED and EGG CULTURED BASED" technology to create an H1V1 Vaccine.

The first step for in the vaccine production is the making of the “seed” virus. It has been prepared from Mexico and California H1N1 strains.
This seed virus is supplied to vaccine manufacturers which were chosen by WHO. In our India Pune based Serum Institute of India taken the responsibility of preparation of vaccine with crack team of 16 scientists.
The seed viruses from various strains are then prepared to be ready for vaccine production by a process called “assortment”.
These assorted viruses are then injected into specially prepared pathogen – free, fertile chicken eggs. The safe virus grows inside the eggs for 4-6 weeks time.
Then viruses are extracted from the eggs, purified and inactivated and then formulated into a vaccine
The normal dosage of influenza vaccine is 15mg. From each chicken egg, one dose of influenza vaccine is produced. Some times two eggs my be required to produce each dose.
India’s largest poultry maker Venkateshwara Hatcheries currently supplying 100,000 pathogen-free eggs. But in urgent requirement they will be able to supply up to 2.5 million eggs in a month.
Lets hope Serum institute should develop an influenza vaccine in the shortest possible time and make safe millions of global citizens. (source: Tech. Rev. Aug 2009………………..)