Influenza virus is a highly contagious disease caused by the influenza virus. Severe cases of this disease are detrimental. As of February this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases of this in the U.S. alone remains elevated but have shown some improvements. Flu viruses target the most vulnerable or the extremes. Elderly people aged 65 years and above accounted for about 60% while children below 5 years old ranked second on flu-associated hospitalization. However, globally speaking, this virus kills about 500,000 people every year.
Thus, this new research that aims to produce to what people call the "holy grail" of immunization against this deadly disease is indeed promising.
It is known that influenza virus is a spike-like protein covered with hemagglutinin (HA), which is used by the virus to invade cells in the body. The body counteracts to the flu's activity by producing antibodies that will neutralize the head of the virus. Yet, the head has the ability to mutate a number of times in order to hide or permit the body to attack and kill infected cells.
Two independent teams conducted the experiment. Hadi Yassine from Vaccine Research Center at the U.S. national Institute of Health led the first team. They grafted ferritin, a headless HA. They injected the bird flu virus, with 50% mortality rate to humans, to both mice and ferrets. Both lab animals showed good results. The mice were totally protected, and the ferrets, on the other hand, did not get sick.
The other team, still using the "stem-only vaccine" approach, obtained the same positive results in mice. While in monkeys, the vaccine instigated higher levels of antibodies and showed reduced fever symptoms in H1N1 virus. The group is from Crucell Vaccine Institute in Leiden, the Netherland, with Antoinetta Impagliazzo heading the team.
Although the discovery of this universal vaccine is a big leap in the field of health, science and medicine, more research and clinical trials need to be done to ensure its safety to humans. "This is an exciting development, but the new vaccines now need to be tested," said Sarah Gilbert, a professor of vaccinology from Oxford University.
