Ethiopian Review

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials say the U.S. expects to have 160 million doses of swine flu vaccine available sometime in October — if all goes well.

That’s despite continued bad production from manufacturers around the world. The chief ingredient for vaccine is grown in chicken eggs, and companies are getting far fewer doses per egg than is usual with regular winter flu.

Another complication: That 160 million estimate assumes a low dose will work. Studies will begin in a few weeks to see if this new vaccine will protect with a low dose or if people will need a higher one. Scientists also expect people will need two separate inoculations, about a month apart, for protection..

Also: U.S. government health officials say the new swine flu is not yet mutating to become more dangerous, but they are closely tracking that as the virus continues to circle the globe.

Dr. Nancy Cox of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls it “quite surprising” that more genetic variation has not emerged given the virus’ quick spread — sickening more than an estimated million people in the U.S. alone since April.

People under 25 get sick most often, although most of the 262 deaths recorded in the U.S. so far have been in 25- to 49-year-olds. People older than 65 have far lower risk of getting sick — perhaps because of years of exposure to viruses in the same influenza family.

Also: The U.S. government called Wednesday for several thousand volunteers to start rolling up their sleeves for the first swine flu shots, in a race to test whether a new vaccine really will protect against the virus before its expected rebound later in the year. Baylor College of Medicine in Houston is one of the study sites.

Details to follow

- By LAURA NEERGAARD | Associated Press