If you've got genetically modified chickens that are resistant to the avian flu virus then you don't in theory have to bother with vaccination anymore," he added. This, in turn, could prevent the bird flu from spreading among flocks. Scientists have produced genetically modified chickens that appear to prevent the spread of avian influenza. Zoonotic transmission of an H5N1 avian influenza A virus to humans in 2003–present has generated increased public health and scientific interest in the prevalence and variability of influenza A viruses in wild birds and their potential threat to human health.

Genetically modified by a team of researchers in the UK, the bird doesn’t pass the virus on to other birds. Genetically modified chickens could hold the key to preventing the spread of avian influenza, according to the results of work by British and Australian scientists who have demonstrated that it is possible to inhibit virus propagation. That’s a question you might have to ponder soon enough, according to a paper published last week in the journal Science.. Our goal was a proof-of-principle demonstration that genetic modification can be used to prevent avian influenza infection in chickens. The TG-D5 birds exhibited a … The feasibility of creating genetically modified birds has already been demonstrated with the insertion of transgenes that target IAV into the genomes of chickens. A novel alternative strategy is to develop chickens that are genetically resistant to infection. Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified* Chickens/genetics* Chickens/virology; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype*/enzymology ; Influenza A … This genetic modification has the potential to stop Genetically modified (GM) chickens could help stop transmission of bird flu, which first emerged in 1996 in China and has since killed or caused the culling of millions of chickens worldwide. The …

Take Home Message: Transgenic chickens, not vaccination, could be key to preventing the spread of avian influenza viruses. PMID: 21233354 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Publication Types: Comment; News; MeSH Terms. The scientists have successfully developed genetically modified (transgenic) chickens that do not transmit avian influenza virus to other chickens with which they are in contact. Enserink M. Comment on Science. Avian influenza. We generated transgenic chickens expressing a short-hairpin RNA designed to function as a decoy that inhibits and blocks influenza virus polymerase and hence int erferes with virus propagation. Chickens genetically modified to prevent them spreading bird flu have been produced by researchers at the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh. So the chickens infected with avian flu become sick, but they did not transmit the disease to other chickens kept in the same place with them, even if these birds were not genetically modified. Researchers from several United Kingdom universities provided chickens a gene that acted as a proverbial wrench in the cog of the virus’ machinery. Transmission in Genetically Modified Chickens]on Lyall,1 Richard M. Irvine,2 Adrian Sherman,3 Trevelyan ]. Chickens genetically modified to prevent them spreading bird flu have been produced by researchers at the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh. Since making a jump to humans in 1997, bird flu has also killed over 300 people. 2011 Jan 14;331(6014):223-6. This approach has been met with some success in minimising the spread of IAV but has limitations in terms of its ability to prevent the emergence of disease. British scientists say they have genetically modified chickens in a bid to block bird flu and that early experiments show promise for fighting off the disease … Would you buy genetically modified chickens and eggs if those same birds couldn’t give other birds—or humans—avian flu? Transgenic chickens could thwart bird flu, curb pandemic risk. If you've got genetically modified chickens that are resistant to the avian flu virus then you don't in theory have to bother with vaccination anymore," he added. So the chickens infected with avian flu become sick, but they did not transmit the disease to other chickens kept in the same place with them, even if these birds were not genetically modified.