Scientists have found that the multivaccine, combining the genes of the four major strains of influenza, can protect against the disease for life. Mice protected by a new vaccine, when exposed to lethal doses of the virus did not even get sick, writes Haytec with reference to Science Daily.

According to a study by the team of scientists at the Center for Virology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (USA), the vaccine, which combines the genes of the four major strains of influenza, provides reliable protection against a dangerous disease. The mice that received the vaccine survived the effects of lethal doses of seven of the nine widely spread influenza viruses. And those who received higher doses of the drug did not even get infected. On the contrary, mice who were given regular flu shots were sick with the same doses of viruses.

Since the flu virus mutates rapidly, and also because people, animals and birds often carry it without manifesting symptoms, until now scientists have been difficult to develop a vaccine with a long-term effectiveness. Usually, weakened or dead versions of the virus are used as a basis for the vaccine to stimulate immunity against hemagglutinin, a protein that looks like a ball covered with spines under a microscope and attacks healthy cells.

Instead of using a weakened or dead influenza virus, scientists from Nebraska used replication-defective adenoviruses that cause colds. They have been modified to deliver the so-called "centralized antigens" H1, H2, H3 and H5 strains of influenza.

The idea originated from a study conducted by Dr. Bett Corber in Los Alamos (USA), which examined the genes of the Homo sapiens immunodeficiency virus and determined how this virus passed from ape to man. The lead author of the study, Associate Professor Eric Weaver and his colleagues decided to try a similar concept, synthesizing genes that are central to the "genealogical tree" of the influenza virus.

"Our idea is that these centralized antigens can create the basis of immunity against influenza," he says.. "Since they represent all strains equally, they can provide a basis for immunity against all known strains of influenza".

According to him, it is too early to say that a new universal vaccine will suit people, but its creation opens all the prospects for this.

"Our goal is to create a vaccine that will be injected once and provide lifelong protection," he says..