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Influenza, also known as Flu, contagious infection primarily of the respiratory tract. It is caused by a virus transmitted from one person to another in droplets coughed or sneezed into the air, characterized by coldlike symptoms plus chills, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue.

The influenza virus has a relatively simple structure. A lipid (fatty) envelope surrounds the protein shell (capsid), which encloses coiled genetic material (RNA). Because the viruses continually change, they can cause repeated waves of infection, even among people previously infected.

Most people recover completely in about a week. But recently, a new vaccine for influenza has been successfully tested in human. The research was held by The British-American biotech company Acambis. It is reported that they have completed Phase I trials of the universal flu vaccine in humans. This vaccine is intended to provide protection against all ‘A’ strains of the virus that causes human influenza, including pandemic strains. The vaccine’s safety and ability to generate an immune response was evaluated.

Today’s flu vaccines need to be adapted every year to new virus strain variants. This is why we run the risk of catching a flu infection each year. Dr Xavier Saelens, and Prof. Emeritus Walter Fiers are supporting research required for the planned Phase II and III clinical trials, as well as optimizing the vaccine for response against a potential pandemic caused by a highly pathogenic strain such as the H5N1 avian flu virus. Through their collaboration with Acambis, they hope that annually renewed flu vaccines can be replaced by the universal influenza vaccine.

Adapted from materials provided by Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, enriched from ScienceDaily and Encarta.

Topik: Antibody, Avian Flu, Chemotherapy, General, Habits, Influenza, Medicines, Technology in Health, Treatment, Vaccines