Scientists have made a step towards getting a vaccine against all types of flu

Scientists from the United States (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) are carrying out clinical trials of the universal flu vaccine. They have evaluated its safety and ability to stimulate the immune response in healthy volunteers, Xinhua reports.

The new vaccine should teach immunity to attack different types of influenza virus, including pandemic. The idea is that the vaccine is aimed at the relatively unchanged part of the virus. Hemagglutinin (influenza virus protein) is a main target. Protein allows the virus to penetrate the human cell.  The virus has a "trunk" and a "head." Most seasonal vaccines are aimed at the head, but it constantly changes. So, the new vaccine is aimed at the "trunk".

In their work, the scientists used the "stem" of H1N1 virus protein. The result was a vaccine that can protect not only from this strain, but also from H5N1 virus. According to experts, the vaccine will work against other subtypes of the “group 1” (H1 and H5). In the future, they are going to test the vaccine for viruses of the “group 2” (H3 and H7).

Source: MEDdaily