Scientists say they have made a significant leap towards creating a vaccine that would protect against every form of flu.
A team at Imperial College London say they have made a “blueprint” for a universal flu vaccine.
Influenza is able to change the proteins that protrude from the surface of the virus as readily as people change outfits. However, the material on the inside is common to many strains of flu. Vaccine researchers believe targeting the core of the virus may be the way to develop a universal vaccine.
Jenner Institute in Oxford, said: “The new publication contains information on the precise characteristics of the influenza-specific T cells which were protective, and this information will be useful in monitoring the immune response to vaccination when testing novel influenza vaccines which are designed to provide protection against pandemic as well as seasonal influenza viruses.”
Source: BBC News
