Ap il 2022
Cha ac e isa ion o a ian in luenza i uses o suppo poul y
accina ion (a ian in luenza accine an igen upda es)
The Objec i e
To p o ide up- o da e in o ma ion o he poul y sec o , go e nmen s, and poul y accine
manu ac u e s on an igenic cha ac e is ics o ci cula ing a ian in luenza i uses including
compa isons wi h accine an igens. This in o ma ion will acili a e selec ion o app op ia e accines
o poul y and upda ing o poul y accine an igens in places whe e accines a e being used.
Main Ou pu
The main ou pu om his wo k will be an annual epo compa ing s ains o a ian in luenza i us
ci cula ing in di e en egions wi h a ian in luenza accine an igens o ep esen a i e e e ence and
challenge s ains.
Ini ially, he epo will ocus on goose/Guangdong/1/96-lineage high pa hogenici y H5Nx i uses.
O e a pe iod o h ee yea s he scope will be expanded o co e o he sub ypes including H7
i uses, H9N2 and, any o he s ains o which accines a e being used o con empla ed.
The epo will build on he in o ma ion ga he ed al eady by OFFLU o he WHO zoono ic in luenza
accine composi ion mee ings ha a e held wice pe yea (Feb ua y and Sep embe ). I will be
supplemen ed by addi ional an igenic da a ele an o a ian accines. A p esen , he cu en epo
o he VCM assis s in selec ing candida e accine an igens o human in luenza pandemic
p epa edness, no a ian accines.
Backg ound
Vaccina ion agains high pa hogenici y a ian in luenza is al eady being used in coun ies whe e hese
i uses emain endemic.
A ange o accines is in use, p edominan ly killed an igen adju an ed accines o simila subuni
accines. Vec o accines a e also being used in some coun ies, including hose based on
he pes i us o u keys (HVT) wi h some usage o owl pox and Newcas le disease i uses as ec o s.
Al hough all hese accines can p o ide b oad c oss p o ec ion agains a ange o H5 i uses
an igenic d i has occu ed which can po en ially educe he e ec i eness o accines in p o ec ing
agains disease and shedding o i us om in ec ed bi ds.
The e is g owing in e es in accina ion in coun ies whe e HPAI is occu ing epidemically due o wild
bi d in oduc ions ac oss Eu asia, A ica and in o No h Ame ica. Some o hese coun ies ha e
ne e p e iously conside ed accina ion as a ool o h ea mi iga ion bu due o e e inc easing
and ongoing h ea a e e iewing hei p e en ion and con ol op ions. Vaccina ion, i used, will help
o p o ec locks o bi ds ea ed ou doo s and may allow bi ds o be kep ou doo s e en in high- isk
pe iods. Up ake o accina ion will depend on ha ing app op ia e well-ma ched accines a ailable.
Some coun ies ha e es ablished accine banks o eme gency use in he pas . These need o be
kep up o da e i in place.
Why is his analysis and epo ing needed?
Usage o accina ion in poul y agains a ian in luenza is expec ed o inc ease, especially i wild bi d
cycles o in ec ion and in oduc ion con inue as expe ienced in 2020/21 and 2021/22.
Conside able an igenic change has occu ed in a ian in luenza i uses in he pas 25 yea s ha can
educe e ec i eness o accina ion p og ammes unless imely upda es o accines occu .
A p esen , some coun ies using accines ha e p og ammes in place o assess an igenic changes in
ield s ains, bu his in o ma ion is no always sha ed ou side o he coun y o published. Be e
in o ma ion on app op ia e accine an igens will assis coun ies conside ing accina ion o selec an
app op ia e accine an igen (o mul iple an igens i mo e han one s ain is ci cula ing) and will also
assis coun ies using accines o ob ain in o ma ion on po en ially impo an changes in an igenic
cha ac e is ics o ci cula ing s ains.
The e is no one place whe e his in o ma ion is a ailable o analysed in a holis ic manne wi h
ele ance o a ian in luenza accines used in di e en egions o he globe.
Cu en ly, a simila p og amme is in place o oo -and-mou h disease in which ecommenda ions
a e p oduced on app op ia e accine an igens o use o accine banks, based on ci cula ing s ains
o i us in di e en egions.
Wha in o ma ion will he epo include?
The epo will con ain he ollowing in o ma ion:
• An igenic and gene ic cha ac e is ics o a ian in luenza i uses known o be ci cula ing in
di e en pa s o he wo ld, including changes in known o pu a i e an igenic si es
• In o ma ion on a ailable accines and accine an igens (wi h he suppo o he accine
indus y). No e ha i in o ma ion on accine an igens is no a ailable o comme cial
easons a simila s ain will be used as a subs i u e
• In o ma ion om s udies conduc ed using compa a i e se ology om accina ed poul y,
an igenic ca og aphy o challenge ials in OFFLU pa ne labo a o ies
• Speci ic s udies using e e ence chicken an ise a conduc ed o he epo
• U ilisa ion o ha monised app oaches and me hodology o b oad ele ance
• Da a om ecen pee - e iewed publica ions on a ian in luenza accines especially any ha
include challenge s udies o in o ma ion om ield ials
• P o ide wa nings o an igenic a ian s wi h po en ial o global sp ead (e.g., cu en clade
2.3.4.4b s ains) including sugges ions o an igen banks
No e ha his epo will di e om he WHO accine composi ion mee ing (VCM) in ha he
in o ma ion p o ided is only ad iso y and will only lag he need o po en ial changes in accine
an igens. I will no use human candida e accine i uses in gene ic and an igenic analyses – a he
i will de ine and use e e ence i uses pe inen o accina ion o poul y. I will no p o ide
ecommenda ions o use speci ic comme cial p oduc s.
How will he da a/in o ma ion be ga he ed?
The p ocess will be simila o ha used by OFFLU o he WHO VCM, culmina ing in a summa y
epo .
Who will lead he p ocess?
OFFLU will lead he p ocess. Th ough WOAH and FAO, a small eam o echnical expe s will conduc
his wo k.
This eam will:
• colla e and upda e in o ma ion a ailable on accines in use o a ailable o use
• collec and p epa e in o ma ion on molecula and an igenic cha ac e is ics o ci cula ing
i uses om ma e ial collec ed o he WHO VCM epo
• ob ain in o ma ion om labo a o ies ha ha e conduc ed an igenic assessmen (e.g., c oss-
HI es s) o accine challenge ials in poul y
• a ange o es ing o selec ed i uses no el s ains o local, egional o global signi icance
o an igenic cha ac e is ics by WOAH/FAO e e ence labo a o ies
• a ange o p oduc ion o eagen s o suppo he p og amme (including e e ence an igens
and p ime chicken an ise a)
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