Researchers from Southampton, the University of Oxford and Retroscreen Virology Ltd offer potential relief for flu sufferers with their discovery of a series of peptides, chains of animo acids, found on the internal structures of al flu viruses. The breakthrough discovery and subsequent vaccination trial could grant people immunity against all strains of the disease.
Influenza, an acute viral infection, affects hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year. Flu pandemics, like the outbreak of swine flu in 2009, which claimed 457 lives, put severe strain on healthcare providers.
Dr Tom Wilkinson, Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine at the University, who led the study says that the team discovered at T-cells; part of the body’s immune response to flu virus, also attack the peptides within them.
‘Most influenza vaccines only protect us against known influenza strains by creating antibodies in the blood, but the influenza virus has the ability to rapidly change itself and new strains can emerge which rapidly spread across the globe by escaping the immunity’ says Tom, ‘Through this discovery, we hope to improve vaccines for future strains of influenza, and potentially protect against the next pandemic’
The vaccine research has been further assisted by the addition of Professor Robert Read who joined the University, after may successful years at the University of Sheffield. Professor read specializes in developing and testing vaccines for rapidly lethal infectious diseases such an influenza, meningitis and pneumonia.
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