A new type of vaccine has been devised to cover almost all strains of the influenza virus. It would replace annual injections.
The H3N2 influenza epidemic of winter 2014-2015 showed the vaccine’s limitations, unable to adequately protect against the disease that year. To remedy these occasional failures, an international group of researchers from the British universities of Lancaster and Aston, and the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) have devised a new vaccine, which would be more effective.
In a single injection, it would be able to immunize for several years, regardless of the mutations that influenza viruses might experience. According to its designers, it would be effective on 88% of global strains, and even up to 95% of those circulating in the United States.
A viral database
It would contain small pieces of viruses from different global strains, called epitopes. These are molecules recognized by the immune system which, once the vaccination has been carried out, would be able to defend itself against aggression from any virus carrying these molecules. Scientists have created computer tools to isolate these epitopes, and select those that would affect infections of the entire world population.
The flu actually has an extraordinary variety of mutations, and every year a new strain makes the epidemic. “Every year we have a new vaccine, for which we choose a recent strain of influenza,” says Dr Derek Gatherer of Lancaster University. We hope then that he will be able to immunize against the strain the following year. It’s a relatively safe method, and it works quite well most of the time. “
“There are times, however, when it doesn’t work,” he continues. And even if successful, the search for the new annual vaccine is extremely expensive, requires a lot of work, which will not protect against the strains of the following years. “
Avoid exceptional epidemics
Every year, the flu kills 500,000 people worldwide, according to the WHO. Sometimes one-off epidemics are very aggressive. Those of 1918 – the Spanish flu – and others in 1957 and 1968, killed tens of millions.
Researchers believe the universal flu vaccine is within reach. They are actively looking for partners in the pharmaceutical industry to synthesize it, and continue their research to achieve a proof of concept, which would validate its effectiveness.
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