Development of an Australian pandemic vaccine

Abstract

Although influenza pandemics have plagued mankind for centuries, a pandemic resulting from the current H5N1 threat would be a unique experience in many ways. Greater awareness and increased surveillance have allowed us to watch events unfolding and have facilitated early detection and containment of disease episodes. Well developed strategies for containment and availability of the antiviral drugs Relenza and Tamiflu for both therapy and prophylaxis further strengthen our capabilities in retarding development of a pandemic and give us hope of a delay in rapid dissemination at an early stage of a pandemic.