Scientists closer to developing universal flu vaccine
Currently the flu vaccine has to be given annualy because it focuses on the mutating part of the virus.
Scientists are a step closer to developing a universal flu vaccine following promising trials in animals, the BBC reports.
Research teams in the US have made progress with an approach that focuses on a stable part of the flu virus.
It is hoped that this will remove the need for an annual flu jab which concentrates on the mutating part of the virus. However, further studies are needed in humans to confirm that the method will work.
Professor John Oxford, a flu expert from the University of London, told the BBC that the results were a "red letter day" for science.
"This is a leap forward compared to anything done recently. They have good animal data, not just in mice but in ferrets and monkeys too. And they've done it with the bird flu virus H5N1," he said.
"It's a very good stepping stone. Ultimately, the hope is to get a vaccine that will cover a pandemic virus."
Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at University of Oxford, added: "This is an exciting development, but the new vaccines now need to be tested in clinical trials to see how well they work in humans."
"This will be the next stage of research, which will take several years. So we are still some way from having better flu vaccines for humans."
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