[h=5]Sun, Oct 25, 2015[/h]
Bird flu outbreak not vaccine-related: bureau
... [h=3]The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said that vaccination is not the best way to deal with the H5N2 virus and culling is to continue[/h] By Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter
The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine on Friday disputed accusations in the media that alleged recent bird flu outbreaks were related to unauthorized inoculation with vaccines illegally imported from China, saying that the vaccine viruses and the viruses affecting local birds are different strains.
A report by online news outlet News and Market earlier this week said that highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N2, which is responsible for many of the bird flu cases reported since last month, could be linked to a commercial H5N2-based vaccine developed by a Chinese university.
The report said that unlicensed veterinarians in Taiwan purchased the vaccines online and vaccinated fowl in local farms, thereby introducing the H5N2 viruses into Taiwan.
Bureau director Chang Su-san (張淑賢) said that the Chinese vaccine is based on an Asian strain of the H5N2 viruses, while the H5N2 viruses found in Taiwan are of European origin....
