Scientists Hail Universal Flu Vaccine Test

Scientists have for the first time tested in humans a vaccine likely to be effective against all strains of flu.

 

They believe the universal vaccine could make pandemics - and deaths - a thing of the past.

Current vaccines target part of the virus that mutates constantly, forcing scientists to modify the jab each winter.

The new vaccine targets proteins inside the virus that remain the same whatever the strain.

Dr Sarah Gilbert, of Oxford University's Jenner Institute, said the vaccine would remain effective for up to 10 years.

She told Sky News: "Current vaccines target proteins outside the virus, parts of the virus that keep changing from year to year that mean we have to develop a new vaccine every year.

"But this new vaccine works on parts of the virus that don't change every year and so we hope to have one vaccine that works against all different strains of flu in the future."

She added: "It wouldn't wipe out flu from the world in the way we've been able to wipe out smallpox because flu exists in wild bird populations, and from time to time it moves across into the human population.

"We will always have to be on our guard against flu, but it could mean that we don't see people becoming severely ill and dying from flu because infection in people and widespread pandemics could become a thing of the past."

Scientists are hoping to successfully develop a universal vaccine

The Oxford scientists studied 22 volunteers who were deliberately infected with flu.

Those given the vaccine in advance were less likely to develop symptoms.

A universal vaccine could be given at anytime of year. No longer would there be an autumn rush in doctors' surgeries - and no longer would there be a risk of it running out, as it did this year.

Dr Mark Fielder, a medical microbiologist at Kingston University working on infection control, said the findings were exciting.

He told Sky News: "The work we do here is focused around controlling and containing disease and the potential of this is fantastic because it means we can take a strong stance in helping halt disease from spreading around the world."

The scientists now hope to test the vaccine in a bigger trial to confirm that it is effective.

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