Are there any concerns about poultry vaccination?

The primary goal of poultry vaccination is to control the disease in poultry therefore reducing the virus in the environment and the risk for humans. If poultry is consumed after the recommended period of 14 days post vaccination, the poultry vaccine do not posses any risk for humans.

Vaccination protects poultry from getting sick, but it does not always prevent infection with the H5N1 virus. Therefore, vaccinated poultry may sometimes appear healthy, but continue to shed the virus, although at much lower concentrations than sick poultry. This means that whilst the risk is greatly reduced, it is not eliminated by vaccination. Therefore all poultry, including vaccinated should be handle with caution and when possible wearing some protective gear (to cover mouth and nose and washing hands carefully after any contact with poultry, see advisory section in this web site).

| top |