Anvisa releases tests on humans from the Butantan vaccine against aviary flu

Still, possible dissemination among people worries scientists due to the high mortality rate (close to 50%) and the severity of symptoms. In addition, a survey published last year in the magazine Science It points out that the occurrence of a single mutation could be a pandemic risk indicator – and mutations worry, since before the virus only reached birds and now infects cows and humans in contact with contaminated cattle.

“Influenza A (H5N1) virus is being transmitted from poultry, poultry to mammalians, mammals to mammals, birds to humans and mammals to humans. We have not yet seen person transmission to person, but there is a potential for the virus to acquire this capacity, which is very dangerous because it increases the risk of a pandemic,” says scientific researcher and product development and innovation manager Butantan, Paulo Lee Ho, in a note.

Therefore, although there are no cases in humans registered in Brazil, Butantan’s goal is to prepare the country to face potential pandemics.

“The institute can produce a contingent of 30 million doses after the initial results,” says Butantan director Esper Kalllas. This volume, according to the director, could be used in a scenario of virus dissemination.