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Scientists develop basis for bird flu vaccine


    GENEVA (Reuters) - Scientists using virus samples from Egypt have developed the basis of a vaccine against H5N1 bird flu, which is more toxic than the H1N1 swine flu strain but spreads less easily, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday.

    "This recombinant vaccine virus is available for distribution," the WHO said in a statement on its website which said the vaccine virus was developed "thanks to the ministry and population of Egypt for providing virus specimens."

    "Institutions, companies and others interested in pandemic vaccine development who wish to receive these candidate vaccine viruses should contact either the WHO Global Influenza Program ... or the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention," it said.

    (Reporting by Laura MacInnis)