Researchers Develop Promising New Vaccine For HPAI

Researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have developed a vaccine that shows promise in protecting against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), demonstrating strong efficacy in cattle. The new vaccine platform is designed to protect against multiple H5N1 strains and generate immunity in both the bloodstream and respiratory tract.

The research was led by virologist Eric Weaver, professor of biological sciences and director of the Nebraska Center for Virology. During the study, calves were vaccinated at one week of age using a combination of intramuscular and intranasal delivery and received a booster four weeks later.

“The idea was that if we put it intramuscularly, we can prevent it from spreading in the body, and then a mucosal aspect, intranasally, would prevent it from spreading from animal to animal,” Weaver said.

With these new findings, Weaver is seeking funding and potential partnerships to further evaluate the vaccine, including the development of a multispecies option. Protecting cattle from H5N1 could reduce economic losses for producers while limiting opportunities for the virus to adapt and spread to humans.