A complete and final victory over the flu?
Scientists have created a universal vaccine against different types of flu
RIA News
Scientists have managed to create a vaccine that protects equally well against various types of influenza, both its old modifications and reappearing every new season, according to an article by researchers (Chih-Jen Wei et al., Induction of Broadly Neutralizing H1N1 Influenza Antibodies by Vaccination – VM) published in the journal Science on Thursday.
During laboratory tests on rodents and monkeys, this vaccine managed to protect animals both from influenza viruses that arose in 1934 and 1999, and from its new modifications – 2006 and 2007. In addition, this vaccine proved to be effective in the case of the H5N1 virus strain – the so-called avian flu.
"We are very pleased with the results we have received. The vaccination strategy we have developed allows us to hope for the appearance of flu vaccinations similar to hepatitis vaccinations, when we vaccinate once in childhood and in adulthood only further strengthen the immune system if necessary," said Dr. Gary Nabel, lead author of the study from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the USA, whose words are quoted by the press service of this institute (NIH Scientists Advance Universal Flu Vaccine - VM.).
Modern flu vaccinations can provide immunity to a person only from a specific strain of the virus. But flu strains change from season to season, which forces doctors to constantly develop new vaccines.
According to the strategy developed by Dr. Nabel and his colleagues, the animals first received primary immunity from influenza: a fragment of viral DNA was injected into their body, responsible for the synthesis of one of its proteins – hemagglutinin. After that, the animals received an injection of the protein itself, which forms the basis of seasonal flu vaccines.
This strategy forced the immune system of the animal body to produce an immune response not to the "head" of the viral protein, which has the shape of a lollipop, but to the "stick" itself. The head of this protein, which is located on the surface of the virus and largely determines its ability to infect cells, mutates and changes from season to season, while the stem, the wand, practically does not change.
That is why the immune response to the stem of this protein provides protection against almost any type of influenza virus.
At the moment, such a flu vaccination strategy is being tested and clinical trials involving people. If this phase of testing is successfully completed, the effectiveness of the vaccine will be studied in humans in the next three to five years.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru16.07.2010