Yesterday, the head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Abrahamos, said we must prepare for a potential H5N1 flu pandemic.
NEW – WHO’s Tedros says we “must prepare” for a potential H5N1 human bird flu pandemic. pic.twitter.com/4Y3asCMN9S
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) February 9, 2023
The H5N1 flu is seen in wild birds and domestic poultry. Recent reports of H5N1 flu in otters, minks, sea lions, and foxes suggest mammalian transmission.
The CDC says the avian flu virus was detected in Canadian and US wild birds in late 2021. In February 2022, the virus began causing outbreaks in US commercial and backyard poultry.
Two human cases with current H5N1 bird flu viruses have been reported. One occurred in the United Kingdom in 2021 and the United States in 2022.
So far, there is no human-to-human transmission reported, but that can change since the influenza virus can rapidly mutate to adapt itself.
Why is H5N1 a cause for concern?
H5N1 does not present like the typical flu with fever, muscle pain, and just feeling lousy. The figures below show what it can do to chickens. It causes hemorrhages under the skin (A), cyanosis of the comb and wattles (B), and facial edema (C).
In mice infected with H5N1, it can cause severe edema and hemorrhage, as seen in Image B below. Compare that with the normal mice lung (A).
And since it is highly transmissible, there can be many cases, and hospitals will fill up with very sick people. It will be just like the COVID pandemic again.
That is why H5N1 is classified as a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus, and all poultry in a farm infected with H5N1 gets culled immediately.
H5N1 Flu Vaccines and their disadvantages
Currently, there are three Influenza H5N1 vaccines approved by the FDA.
- Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1 (for National Stockpile), approved in 2007
- Influenza A (H5N1) Virus Monovalent Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2013)
- Influenza A (H5N1) Monovalent Vaccine, Adjuvanted (Audenz) (2017)
But don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. As reported by Forbes, the US only has a small stockpile of H5N1 bird flu vaccines. If an outbreak happens, there won’t be enough shots.
Plus, all three H5N1 vaccines are monovalent. That means they were designed for one strain of the H5N1. Once it mutates, the stockpiled vaccines may not be as effective.
The three vaccines were approved in 2007, 2013, and 2017. Most probably, the H5N1 may have mutated by now. If there is a need to make a new vaccine, the CDC has a plan in place, but it will take months to get one ready.
Many may have already died by then, and the H5N1 has mutated some more, making the brand-new vaccines less effective.
Additionally, all three vaccines induce active immunity, which makes the human body produce antibodies and T cells against the virus. The problem is that the elderly and immune-compromised, the people who need the shots most, do not always produce an adequate immune response.
Another potential problem is that with the recent COVID vaccinations, many do not want to get any vaccine for many reasons. Many now have a deep mistrust of the CDC and the FDA.
I also suppose that a good percentage of the population is risk averse to the side effects, including death from a hurriedly developed vaccine, just like in the COVID jabs.
Is there an alternative solution?
IgY Passive Immunization
A potential solution is using Immunoglobulin Y (IgY) using chicken eggs. Hens protect their chicks by including antibodies (IgY) in the egg yolk. (Immunoglobulins are another name for antibodies)
The IgY protects the newly hatched chicks against viral infections for about three weeks after hatching. After that, they develop their active immune system.
IgY provides passive immunization. The immune system does not have to do anything to produce them. IgY protects by preventing the binding of the virus to the cells and thus prevent viral entry, replication, and infection.
IgY Advantages
IgY is polyclonal. If the chicken is vaccinated against one strain of a virus, the IgY can also be effective in other strains. That is why even if the avian flu undergoes rapid mutation, the IgY may still be effective.
IgY is safe. When taken by mouth, the IgY stays in the intestinal lining, and it does not interact with the eosinophils, the white blood cell responsible for the allergic response. Therefore there is a low risk of allergy.
Additionally, the IgY does not interact with the other parts of the immune system, like the complement system. This makes the chance of an autoimmune response almost absent.
Because of the lower risk of an autoimmune response, IgY is ideal for younger age groups and women. The protection given by instant passive immunity makes it ideal for the older age groups and the immune-compromised.
IgY is inexpensive to produce. One hen can lay as many as 300 eggs a year. Each egg can produce enough doses for several people.
IgY is easy to produce. The hens do not have to be infected with the H5N1 flu. They get exposed to the antigen by getting shots with a killed or attenuated virus. After a few weeks, the eggs will be ready to lay avian-flu protective eggs.
IgY production is not a secret. Many institutions can make them. One study by Chen et al. showed that it could be made at home. I read that article, and yes, it could be done.[3]
IgY against mice H5N1
Human infection with H5N1 started in 2005. Two studies have shown that IgY against H5N1 can be produced using chicken eggs.
The first is from the International Vaccine Institute in South Korea. They found that H5N1-specific IgY prepared from eggs in supermarkets cross-protects against infections with H5N1 and related H5N2 strains in mice.[4]
Importantly, when they gave the IgY thru the nose before or after a lethal infection, the IgY prevented the infection or significantly reduced viral replication, resulting in complete recovery from the disease.[4]
The second one is from the iThree Institute of the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. They have several discoveries.[5]
They immunized the hens with inactivated (non-infectious) H1N1, H3N2, and H5N1 influenza viruses. The viruses were given alone and in combination.
They found that using whole inactivated viruses alone and, in combination, a high level of anti-influenza virus IgY was produced in the eggs, which lasted for at least two months after two immunizations.[5]
The IgYs were effective in inhibiting the clumping of red blood cells (hemagglutination) and preventing infection. Furthermore, the H5N1 IgY produced neutralized other influenza viruses like the influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1).[5]
Lastly, in their mouse study, when they administered the IgY intranasally one hour before infection, IgY to H5N1 protected 100% of the mice against a lethal challenge with H5N1.
The two studies showed that IgY could neutralize several avian influenza strains. This prolongs the usefulness of the IgY even as the influenza virus mutates. [4][5]
There are no human studies about the use of IgY for H5N1. But here are several review articles that discussed their use for humans, like Pereira et al. and Rajeswari and colleagues.
Summary
The H5N1 virus has the potential to spread and cause another deadly pandemic. The available vaccines may not be enough or may even disappoint.
IgY is a rapidly produced, inexpensive, safe, and effective way to provide protection.
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This will be the third piece I wrote about IgY. Previously, I presented two studies showing that IgY can be used against SARS-CoV-2.
In the second article, I featured an over-the-counter nutritional supplement that has IgY against SARS-CoV-2.
References:
- Hagag, I. T et al. (Pathogenicity of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 in Naturally Infected Poultry in Egypt. PLOS ONE, 10(5), e0120061. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120061
- Qiao J et al. Pulmonary fibrosis induced by H5N1 viral infection in mice. Respir Res. 2009 Nov 12;10(1):107. doi: 10.1186/1465-9921-10-107. PMID: 19909524; PMCID: PMC2783028.
- Chen CJ et al. Affordable IgY-based antiviral prophylaxis for resource-limited settings to address epidemic and pandemic risks. J Glob Health. 2022 Feb 26;12:05009. doi: 10.7189/jogh.12.05009. PMID: 35265332; PMCID: PMC8877785.
- Nguyen HH et al. Prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of avian antibodies against influenza virus H5N1 and H1N1 in mice. PLoS One. 2010 Apr 13;5(4):e10152. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010152. PMID: 20405007; PMCID: PMC2854139.
- Wallach MG et al. Cross-protection of chicken immunoglobulin Y antibodies against H5N1 and H1N1 viruses passively administered in mice. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2011 Jul;18(7):1083-90. doi: 10.1128/CVI.05075-11. Epub 2011 May 25. PMID: 21613458; PMCID: PMC3147324.
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