More than a decade has passed since scientists first started devising a universal flu vaccine, as reported by The Guardian. With their latest breakthrough, scientists now think that this vaccine can finally be available in just a matter of two years.
This Universal Flu Vaccine Could Combat Multiple Strains of Fever, Flu
In a recent study published in the Science, scientists were able to see promising potential garnered from preliminary tests performed on animals.
According to the report of IFL Science, a vaccine based on mRNA was developed. This vaccine was made to combat 20 of the recognized subtypes of the influenza virus. This mRNA mirrors the technology that was used in the COVID-19 vaccines. It also makes use of immunogens, which are antigens that prompt a response of immunity.
While there are seasonal flu vaccines that are there to help the body fight four different strains of the flu, this new vaccine was developed to prepare the immune system for all the 20 subtypes of influenza A and influenza B, according to The Guardian.
As noted by IFL Science, initial testing was conducted on animal subjects. Findings from these trials show that signs of the illness were reduced. Scientists also noted that the subjects were protected from death even under circumstances where such animals got exposed to other types of flu viruses that weren't covered in the development of the vaccine.
The work of these researchers suggest that this newly developed vaccine can offer a broad scope of protection for individuals. The vaccine may protect the body against various flu strains, including the lethal and dangerous ones.
Considering the risk for a flu pandemic to occur and the mortality related to the seasonal flu, this vaccine can have an incredible impact on today's modern medicine.
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Reason Behind the Universal Flu Vaccine
Dr. Scott Hensley, a senior proponent of the study, notes that the idea behind their efforts is to have a singular vaccine that is able to offer baseline immunity levels against different strains of flu. He also mentions that with this universal flu vaccine, diseases and deaths could be minimized when another flu pandemic hits.
With the help of a universal flu vaccine, the immune system will be able to react more promptly when a flu virus attacks the organism. The nature of the vaccine is not sterilizing, which means that it doesn't stop the organism from getting the flu again. Rather than that, the vaccine would prime and prepare the body so that in cases of flu, severity will be unlikely.
Scientists to Proceed With More Clinical Trials
The team of scientists are looking forward to testing this on humans, as previous tests were conducted on animals. Hence, the team is now coming up with clinical trials for humans. Should tests be successful, the universal flu vaccine can help curb or lessen the circulation and fatality of flu across different age groups.
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