Ostrich Antibodies Could Help Ward Off H5N1 Influenza Virus
There is worldwide concern over the possibility of a new influenza pandemic originating from the highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza viruses. Yoichiro Kamiyama, from Life Science Research Laboratories, Fujifilm Corporation in Japan, and colleagues, have demonstrated that functional air filters impregnated with ostrich antibodies against the hemagglutinin of the H5N1 virus protect chickens from death by H5N1 transmission.
The researchers report in Virology Journal on their development of a convenient method for the mass-production of antibodies by using ostrich (Struthio camelus) eggs. The researchers say they strongly believe that the ostrich egg may be an excellent antibody source for industrial and medical purposes, and that their study results suggest that the use of ostrich antibody-impregnated filters might be a powerful way to prevent the transmission of H5N1.
Reference: Kamiyama Y, Adachi K, Handharyani E, et al. Protection from avian influenza H5N1 virus infection with antibody-impregnated filters. Virology Journal 2011, 8:54 doi:10.1186/1743-422X-8-54
Redefining Competency: A Comprehensive Framework for Infection Preventionists
December 19th 2024Explore APIC’s groundbreaking framework for defining and documenting infection preventionist competency. Christine Zirges, DNP, ACNS-BC, CIC, FAPIC, shares insights on advancing professional growth, improving patient safety, and navigating regulatory challenges.
Addressing Post-COVID Challenges: The Urgent Need for Enhanced Hospital Reporting Metrics
December 18th 2024Explore why CMS must expand COVID-19, influenza, and RSV reporting to include hospital-onset infections, health care worker cases, and ER trends, driving proactive prevention and patient safety.
Announcing the 2024 Infection Control Today Educator of the Year: Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA
December 17th 2024Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA, is the Infection Control Today 2024 Educator of the Year. He is celebrated for his leadership, mentorship, and transformative contributions to infection prevention education and patient safety.
Pula General Hospital Celebrates Clean Hospitals
December 16th 2024Learn how Pula General Hospital in Croatia championed infection prevention and environmental hygiene and celebrated Clean Hospitals Day to honor cleaning staff and promote advanced practices for exceptional patient care and safety.
Understanding NHSN's 2022 Rebaseline Data: Key Updates and Implications for HAI Reporting
December 13th 2024Discover how the NHSN 2022 Rebaseline initiative updates health care-associated infection metrics to align with modern health care trends, enabling improved infection prevention strategies and patient safety outcomes.
