Terms of Reference
To provide up-to-date information to the poultry sector, governments, and poultry vaccine manufacturers on antigenic characteristics of circulating avian influenza viruses including comparisons with vaccine antigens. This information will facilitate selection of appropriate vaccines for poultry and updating of poultry vaccine antigens in places where vaccines are being used.
Initially, the report will focus on goose/Guangdong/1/96-lineage high pathogenicity H5Nx viruses. Over a period of three years the scope will be expanded to cover other subtypes including H7 viruses, H9N2 and, any other strains for which vaccines are being used or contemplated.
The report will build on the information gathered already by OFFLU for the WHO zoonotic influenza vaccine composition meetings that are held twice per year (February and September). It will be supplemented by additional antigenic data relevant to avian vaccines. At present, the current report for the VCM assists in selecting candidate vaccine antigens for human influenza pandemic preparedness, not avian vaccines.
AIM_Concept note
