The World Health Organization (WHO) is developing an electronic system to track influenza A(H5) viruses that have been shared by Member States with WHO through the Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN). This is in response to issues raised by Member States and discussed at IGM (put in links to relevant documents).

The tracking system, currently available as an interim version, indicates:

• What H5N1 viruses/specimens have been shared with WHO
• Where these viruses/specimens are located
• What progeny materials have been generated
• Analyses that have been conducted on the viruses/specimens progeny materials
• Development of reassortant viruses as potential vaccine candidates
• Distribution (recipients) of viruses/specimens, progeny materials and vaccine candidates

The analyses performed by the WHO laboratories are used to make assessments of risk to human health for all H5N1 viruses/specimens received.

Improvement of the interim system is ongoing and it is anticipated that this system will be upgraded in the future.

The interim system contains data for the majority of viruses and clinical specimens that have been shared with WHO since 24 November 2007, as well as all H5N1 viruses that have been developed into reassortant viruses as potential vaccine candidates.

Data entry of the remaining viruses and clinical specimens (from 24 November 2007 onwards) is ongoing.

Currently, data entry is conducted by WHO Collaborating Centers, WHO H5 Reference Laboratories, and regulatory laboratories which are involved in the WHO H5N1 vaccine virus selection and development process. These are designated WHO laboratories (put in link to list of the twelve labs designated currently).

Please click on the Search database button in the left hand column to access the publicly available information.

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