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`No signature of avian flu virus in India'

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Affirming that no signature of the avian flu virus had been found in India so far, N.Ganguly, Director-General of the Indian Council for Medical Research, said that a working relationship had been established with the Hong Kong Flu laboratory.

In addition to monitoring for the strains in domestic birds, the ICMR institutions also have migratory birds under surveillance and are ensuring that the virus does not spread to poultry. Six centres, funded by the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, were in the network to collect samples and monitor the country for any signs of the bird flu, he said.

Dr.Ganguly added that the ICMR was trying to enhance the use of even normal flu vaccine, currently not very popular in the country. Aventis Sanofi had zeroed in on a vaccine technology that might be an improvement on currently available vaccines.

The government was holding discussions with pharma company Roche to manufacture Tamiflu in India. The country was also looking at other vaccines from China and Vietnam, he added.

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