From Yahoo / Agence France Presse:
'Killer' cells raise hope of universal flu vaccine
Scientists said Monday they had discovered immune cells that can fight all known flu viruses in what was hailed as an "extraordinary breakthrough" that could lead to a universal, one-shot vaccine against the killer disease.
Influenza epidemics, largely seasonal, kill hundreds of thousands of people each year, according to the World Health Organization.
Due to its mutating strains, vaccine formulas must be regularly updated and only offer limited protection currently.
Researchers in Australia said that "killer T cells" -- found in over half the world's population -- had shown in testing to be effective in fighting all common flu varieties.
This means the cells could potentially be used to develop an all-encompassing flu shot that did not need to be changed annually, and even be effective in people who don't naturally possess them.
Here is the home page for the organization in question: The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
Here is their own press release: ‘Killer’ immune cells provide solution to elusive universal flu vaccine
And here is the paper at Nature: Human CD8+ T cell cross-reactivity across influenza A, B and C viruses
Flu is a killer - lost a good friend to it last winter..
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