March 24, 2006	Friday	Safar 23, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Mar 23: Chicken meat lovers still reeling from the fears of Bird Flu are now wary of eating meat of vaccinated birds because of concerns about possible side effects. Ever since the virus was detected at a couple of farms in Abbotabad and Charsadda almost a month ago, most of the poultry farm owners have got their flocks vaccinated.

The vaccination drive intensified after tests by the European Union’s Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza confirmed presence of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in last month’s outbreak.

A local representative of the Poultry Association confirmed that all existing flocks of chickens had been administrated the vaccine imported recently.

The concerns about the consumption of vaccinated birds has come as a double blow to the industry already devastated by reports of outbreak. “People were refraining from buying chicken despite it being one of the most popular dishes at the dining tables. But the vaccination, instead of allaying the fears, has rather made matters worse,” a poultry seller in Aabpara market said.

Lack of public information about the issue has been the biggest factor contributing to the fears, Dr Hassan Sarosh of Poultry Association said and claimed there were no side effects of the poultry vaccine.

However, reported adverse effects of the vaccine include hallucinations, confusion, convulsions, brain inflammation and alarming abnormal behaviour.

The European Medicines Evaluation Agency had asked the vaccine manufacturer to carry out a new safety review because of reported side effects.

The US Food and Drug Administration had earlier cleared the drug, saying there was “no concern at all”. However, it had asked the manufacturer to warn the users about possible skin side- effects.