Researcher finds bird flu antigen

SEMARANG: An agricultural researcher claims to have discovered a herbal antigen for avian influenza, which has killed three people in the country.

Sumardi of the School of Agricultural Science at Soegijapranata Catholic University in Semarang said his herbal concoction had passed a test at the veterinary laboratory at the Yogyakarta agricultural agency, and limited amounts had been sold in East Java.

The test showed that six out of 12 chickens that had been given the herbal concoction survived the virus.

"The medicine is only effective for healthy chicken," Sumardi said, adding that he was in the process of patenting his recipe.

Repeated outbreaks of avian influenza virus have seen 8.9 million chicken slaughtered since 2003. The virus also claimed the first human casualties recently. -- Antara