Scientists have found a way to protect themselves from all existing and future strains of influenza with a single universal vaccine, which is administered to a person only once, as reported by the Internet publication for girls and women from 14 to 35 years old Pannochka. net This is reported by the American scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
While virologists are working on a universal vaccine against influenza, an insidious respiratory infection causes 3-5 million serious cases of the disease every year in the world, resulting in 250-500 thousand deaths.
The focus of the world's media this time were the staff of the University of McMaster (Canada), as well as their colleagues from the School of Medicine in New York and University of Chicago and the University of Chicago (USA). They are developing a unique vaccine based on the recently discovered class of antibodies that neutralize any strains of the influenza virus.
Proteins in question are "taught" the human immune system to find different influenza viruses along a common for all antigenic structure. Thus, the traditional classification for types A, B, C, H1N1 antigens and the like - all this will actually lose value for clinical practice.
There is a flu - there is a vaccine, one at all.
Modern seasonal influenza vaccines cause the production of antibodies within 2 weeks after vaccination. These antibodies attack and bind the virus, preventing it from infecting cells.
The universal vaccine works in a similar way, but better: some antibodies search for and attack the influenza virus in common for all strains, and the second group of antibodies continues to raise immune cells to fight the virus.
One of the fathers of the new vaccine, Matthew Miller, a research fellow at the Faculty of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University, recalled the significant shortcomings of current drugs.
How well a conventional vaccine works will depend on many factors, including the health status and age of the person being vaccinated, the way the vaccine is administered, the antigenic structure of the viruses in a given season, and the type of vaccine - live or inactivated.
Universal vaccine removes most of the listed problems.
"Using the achievements of virology in recent years, we have prepared for the production of a single vaccine that generates immune protection against any influenza viruses. This vaccine will help you to run the necessary functions and block unwanted.
Thus, the vaccine will become a delicate, selective and effective tool for influencing the human immune system, "said Dr. Miller in an interview with a local newspaper.
In addition to protection against influenza, vaccines with a similar action will help doctors treat other diseases requiring selective activation of immune cells.
The first "candidates" - cancer and HIV / AIDS.
According to Dr. Miller, a universal vaccine against influenza will appear on the market in the next 5 years.
medbe. en.
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