London, Nov 23 Health experts in Europe and North America insist that despite reported cases of mutations in the A(H1N1) virus, swine flu vaccines are as effective as they have been before.

Bruno Lina, director of the national flu virus monitoring centre for southern France, said that mutations in virus was expected but it doesn't affect the treatment and vaccines.

"It was expected, it was announced, and it will happen again. That does not change anything with regard to treatment and vaccines," The Independent quoted Lina as saying.

Anne Schuchat of the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) also insists that the mutation would have no impact on the effectiveness of the swine flu vaccine or the anti-virals.

The World Health Organisation has stressed that the mutation did not appear to cause a more contagious or more dangerous form of A(H1N1).

The Geneva-based UN Agency added that there was no evidence of more infections or more deaths as a result, while antivirals used to treat severe flu - oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) - are effective on the mutated virus.

France's health chief, Didier Houssin said in a radio interview that the ability of the vaccine to induce an immune reaction is not affected by the mutation, "so the vaccines remain effective". (ANI)