Lethal chicken disease created by 'gene-swapping' vaccines - Harbinger of things to come?

In yet another example of mad science gone awry, approximately 7 to 17 percent of the chicken population of Australia's two main chicken producing states, Victoria and New South Wales, has died as a result of two deadly new disease strains; strains created when three vaccines used to prevent the herpes virus infectious laryngotracheitis in chickens 'unexpectedly' swapped genes. The disease normally kills five percent of the chicken populations it infects, so in this case the 'solution' has turned out to be far worse than the original potential problem.

In Australia there are usually two similar live virus vaccinations against the virus, which causes mild to severe respiratory disease (difficulty breathing, sneezing, coughing) in chickens. However, because of shortages in 2008/2009, a new European vaccine was introduced. Because of the use of multiple live virus vaccines in the same poultry population, an entirely new, more virulent, disease has been created, one that results in death for a significant percentage of the population it was meant to protect. According to the journal Science, "These findings highlight the risks of using multiple different attenuated herpes virus vaccines, or vectors, in the same populations."

Joanne Devlin, a lecturer at the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Melbourne and the lead author of the paper detailing the problem, wrote, "To try to understand the origin of the new field strains, what we did is sequence the entire genome of the new field strains and we also sequenced the genome of the vaccine strains at the time." Similar elements to the two vaccines were found in the new viruses.

Move on, nothing to see here

Devlin also acknowledges that the new, deadly variants were possible because the vaccines contained live viruses. Not to worry; however. The University of Melbourne's Ian Gust assures us that this couldn't possibly occur in humans because chickens and people are vaccinated using different methods and different strains of the herpes virus. Since the herpes virus is delivered with three entirely different diseases, measles, mumps, and rubella, we are told it cannot breed across various species. Currently, there are five live virus vaccines given to humans - measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and polio. What could possibly go wrong?

So, what about flu shots? With the introduction of the virulent H5N1 virus there has been some concern about influenza vaccinations. Not to worry there, either. Gust says since influenza vaccinations are performed before the flu season and not given to anyone already sick, recombination between different strains is unlikely. "It's not to say that it can't happen on theoretical grounds, but you'd have to say the chances are probably the same as getting kicked to death by a duck." I feel better already.

Australian agricultural authorities are considering how to prevent similar cross-overs from happening again. According to Devlin, "Authorities are reviewing labels on vaccine to change the way vaccines are used and prevent different vaccines being used in one population." How about putting a stop altogether to these mad scientists who try to play God with vaccines and the genetic code? They clearly have no idea what they are messing with, and what horrible consequences could result from their reckless actions.

Recombinant DNA sequences, deadly new diseases, statistically significant populations being decimated, the 'unexpected' consequences of combining live virus vaccines - what sounds like a B-movie plot gone awry is, unfortunately, all too real. With a vaccine industry that apparently won't stop until there is a vaccine for every disease known to man and beast alike, this 'accident' down under is likely a harbinger of darker, more deadly things to come.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.vaccineinfo.net/immunization/vaccine_facts.shtml
http://scienceillustrated.com.au
http://www.foxnews.com

About the author:

Scott is a blogger, writer, and researcher whose primary focus is how to raise healthy kids despite a system and status quo that makes it as difficult as possible. He and his wife, Kim, live in the hills of east Tennessee with their four small children. He holds an MBA from East Tennessee State University. Scott and Kim blog about parenting, marriage, healthy lifestyle, nutrition, and homesteading at www.amorefieldlife.com. Connect with them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amorefieldlife.

Source: naturalnews