This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 003782 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/AIAG, OES/IHA, EUR/WE, CA/OCS 
HHS FOR INTERNATIONAL GAY 
USDA FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL 
USDA FOR FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS 
CDC FOR DR. NANCY COX 
HOMELAND SECURITY FOR OIA 
USEU FOR ESTH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO CASC AMGT FR
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA FRANCE UPDATE - 06/06/06 
 
REF: (A) Paris 2837, (B) Paris 1523, and previous 
 
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Sanofi-Pasteur Closer to Developing Vaccine 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi-Pasteur recently announced the 
preliminary, but encouraging, results of its Phase 1 trials for a 
pre-pandemic H5N1 vaccine.  The clinical study, involving 300 
people, tested two formulations of the vaccine, one with and one 
without an adjuvant.  The tests revealed a good response to both. 
The best response, however, came from a two-dose treatment of the 
vaccine with an adjuvant, resulting in a positive immune response in 
67% of patients. This response would meet the requirements to 
qualify as a seasonal flu vaccine.  The French Ministry of Health 
has ordered 1.4 million doses of this pre-pandemic vaccine. 
 
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Space Technology in Hospitals? 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  French company AirInSpace, with assistance from the European 
Space Agency, has adapted technology developed to protect astronauts 
for use in critical care centers to protect immune-deficient 
patients against airborne pathogens such as the avian flu virus. 
The technology, called the "plasmer bioprotection system" is said to 
completely eliminate the airborne avian flu virus by using strong 
electric fields and cold-plasma chambers to eliminate 
micro-organisms in the air. Reportedly developed in the early '90s 
by Russian scientists to protect cosmonauts and electronic equipment 
from contamination onboard spacecraft, the system was adapted by the 
European Space Agency and more recently by AirInSpace. The now 
portable technology is said to already be in use in some 70 medical 
centers in France and, according to French officials, could be put 
to use within hours to establish emergency temporary hospital 
facilities. 
 
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AI & Birds 
---------- 
 
¶3.  The numbers: As of May 28, French authorities report no new 
cases of H5N1 in domestic poultry since February, when 11,000 
Turkeys were culled in the southeastern 'departement' of France, Ain 
(reftel B).  So far this year, 2867 birds have been tested in one of 
the six designated labs in France. Among these, 175 tested positive 
for "A type" influenza, and were sent to the national reference 
laboratory for additional diagnosis. The H5N1 virus was found in 63 
of these cases. 
 
¶4.  Animal autopsies: In the event of a suspect death of a wild or 
domestic bird, an autopsy is conducted by the veterinary lab of the 
'departement.' If the cause of mortality remains unclear, the head 
of the veterinary lab may decide to test for avian influenza. 
Samples are then sent to one of the six 'screening labs' designated 
by the government to search for A-type influenza. When the result is 
positive, samples are forwarded to the National Reference Laboratory 
of the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA), located at Ploufragan in 
Brittany, for further testing to determine whether the bird is a 
carrier of the H5N1 highly pathogen virus.  This process can take 
several days. 
 
¶5.  Confinement: Following AFSSA recommendations, on May 11, the GOF 
lifted confinement measures for domestic poultry in French 
territory, except for the area surrounding Ain, where the one and 
only outbreak of H5N1 occurred in domestic poultry in February. 
Poultry raisers have been instructed to protect food and water used 
for domestic poultry.  The use of surface water for the feeding or 
cleaning of birds is forbidden. Gathering of poultry in markets, 
bird exhibits and poultry shows is now authorized.  A new evaluation 
of the AI risk will be conducted by AFSSA before end-summer 2006 in 
anticipation of the fall season bird migration. 
 
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Economic Fallout 
---------------- 
 
¶6.  The Agriculture Ministry announced on June 1 that some 43 
million euros have been allocated to French poultry raisers to 
compensate for losses incurred following the sole outbreak of AI in 
French poultry in February.  French media noted that since 
mid-April, chicken prices have rebounded. Household poultry 
consumption reportedly increased almost 20 percent between March 27 
and April 23, 2006 (as compared to the lows during February 27-March 
26). 
 
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French Army to Produce Tamiflu 
------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  In its May 31 edition, the French medical review "le Quotidien 
du Medecin," announced that the Central Pharmacy of the French 
Armies (PCA) will launch in June 2006 a "new dosage of oseltamivir" 
(no details on dosage) at the request of the Health Ministry and in 
partnership with the Roche laboratory.  This could reportedly permit 
the manufacture of 132 million pills at a rate of 6 million per day. 
 If needed, 12 million per day could be produced.  The article 
claims this is an novel initiative, as the PCA's business is to 
manufacture drugs that do not exist on the civilian market.  (Note: 
It is not clear whether the French military will merely re-package 
pills from bulk oseltamivir stocks or will produce the medicine 
itself.) 
 
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Awaiting AI National Exercise Results... 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  The results of the nation-wide AI drill that took place on April 
24-25 and in which the Embassy participated should be released at 
the end of June or in early July. 
 
------------------------------ 
New Avian Influenza Ambassador 
------------------------------ 
 
¶9.  Ambassador Pierre Coulont has been appointed to replace 
Ambassador Jean Garbe as head of the Avian Influenza Task Force 
within the MFA.  Ambassador Coulont is a graduate of the Saint-Cyr 
military academy at Coetquidan.  After a military career, he entered 
the MFA in 1990.  His most recent post - beginning in 2001 - was 
France's Ambassador to Botswana. 
 
 
STAPLETON