World Bank, U.S. to Start $1.6M A/H5N1 Study Project in Vietnam This Month

The World Bank, experts from the U.S. Institute of Health, Medical Research Fund International Henry Jackson and Vietnam’s Institute of Epidemiology and Hygiene will start a $1.6 million A/H5N1 study project in Vietnam this month. Head of the Vietnamese institute Nguyen Tran Hien said that the project will research on the circulation rate of influenza A/H5N1 virus antibodies in the serum in humans. The project, which is a study on influenza A/H5N1 on the biggest-ever scale in Vietnam, will be implemented in Hanoi and Thua Thien-Hue and Tien Giang provinces from this month to May, 2010. This is considered a good opportunity for Vietnam to reduce risk of the outbreak of epidemics, state media reported.  Vietnam has confirmed five deaths relating to A/H5N1 so far this year.