Long-Lasting Flu Vaccine May be Created with New Method

There may be a better, longer-lasting flu vaccine in the works. Researchers have discovered a way to induce antibodies to fight a wide range of influenza subtypes-work that could one day eliminate the need for repeated seasonal flu shots.

"This study shows that we're moving in the right direction for a universal flu vaccine," said Ian Wilson, one of the researchers, in a news release.

Seasonal flu typically causes more than 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths every year in the United States. While a yearly flu shot provides some protection, subtypes not covered by the vaccine can emerge rapidly. This phenomenon was evident in the spread of the H1N1 "swine flu" in 2009, which killed an estimated 151,700 to 575,400 people worldwide.

In this latest study, the researchers have found that some people are capable of making powerful antibodies that can fight many subtypes of influenza at once by targeting a site on the flu virus that doesn't mutate rapidly. The scientists zeroed in on a target on the surface of influenza, called hemagglutinin (HA). It's present on all subtypes of influenza, providing a key viral "machinery" that enables the virus to enter cells. Most importantly, the long "stem" region of HA, which connects the virus to cells, plays such a crucial role that mutations at the site are unlikely to be passed on.

In this case, the researchers wanted to create antibodies against the HA stem. In the end, they created a vaccine candidate that could, in theory, combat different strains of the flu.

"This was the proof of principle," said Wilson. "These tests showed that antibodies elicited against one influenza subtype could protect against a different subtype. While there is more work to be done, the ultimate goal, of course, would be to create a life-long vaccine."

The findings are published in the journal Science.

Related Stories

'Leaky' Vaccines May Cause Super-Virulent Strains of a Virus to Survive

Swine Flu Outbreak in India May Carry Dangerous New Mutations

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).