Researchers have made a discovery in the preventive treatment of influenza. A study appeared on November 2 in the journal Science. By combining immunotherapy and gene therapy, an artificial antibody would protect against influenza. The advantage? It fights against dozens of strains of the virus.
Flu vaccine: moderate efficacy
The effectiveness of the flu vaccine is questioned. It does not affect all strains of the virus, does not 100% prevent contracting the flu and must be renewed every year to protect against the coming winter epidemic. However, it is increasingly recommended. The vaccination campaign evolves each year by offering free access to more profiles. The flu caused 13,000 deaths during the winter of 2017-2018, to 93% of people over 65, according to Public Health France.
But the journal Science revealed Friday, November 2 a new study conducted by an international team of researchers. A new treatment would make it possible to better fight against the virus, with a broader spectrum of protection since it would target 59 strains of influenza.
A super antibody against the flu
The idea of the study? Create a super antibody against the flu. The researchers noticed that some people managed to develop antibodies based on the different strains of the virus. Linking them together would therefore give rise to a more powerful antibody. So they made a gene capable of binding them.
The study was carried out on mice injected with this gene via a harmless virus. They received 60 strains of the virus, including one potentially fatal, and did not show any symptoms. Only one strain resisted this treatment. That said, the treatment is not yet applicable to humans as explained in the New York Times, but is already a significant step forward.
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