# 2666
Well, probably not coming to a farm near you anytime soon.
For now this is just a lab experiment, albeit an intriguing one. Genetically modified chicken feed (rice) that could, conceivably, block chickens from contracting the bird flu virus.
Of course, there is always the law of unintended consequences to consider.
Our loss of the Amantadines as effective antivirals against the H3N2 influenza strain is believed to have stemmed from the reported practice of adding it to chicken's feed in China.
So there is, as you can imagine, a certain amount of reluctance taking this lab experiment into the field.
This report from DPA (Deutsche Presse Agentur)
Rice that protects chicken from bird flu developed
January 16th, 2009 - 7:41 pm ICT by IANS -
Hong Kong, Jan 16 (DPA) Hong Kong scientists Friday claimed to have created a genetically modified rice that provides protection for chickens from the bird flu virus.The rice contains genetic material from the traditional Chinese medicine plant called yuzhu, which has been found to inhibit the growth of viruses such as the deadly H5N1.
But it has not yet been tested outside the laboratory or on live birds because of safety concerns over the virus which has killed 248 people since 2003, according to figures of the World Health Organisation.
Scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said they had produced a small quantity of the modified grain containing the yuzhu material which had been tested in a laboratory dish in a solution with monkey cells and the H5N1 virus.
“During the experiment, the grain prevented the monkey cell from being destroyed by the virus,” said research team leader Samuel Sun Sai-ming.
Sun said they were now looking to take their research to the next stage of testing it on birds, however they were finding it difficult because farms and universities were unwilling to host the experiment.
“It’s hard to meet the safety requirements for such an experiment,” Sun told reporters.
He added that they had contacted some universities in mainland China to try to find somewhere to do the experiment and were awaiting responses.
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