Bird Flu Vaccine Proves Successful

[Angel]

Some promising news in the search for a way to prevent bird flu -- a new vaccine successfully protected mice and ferrets from a highly lethal avian influenza virus.

Researchers from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., conducted a study on the vaccine which was commercially developed by Vical Incorporated in San Diego.

Results, along with findings from previous studies that reveal protection against multiple human influenza strains, suggest the vaccine would protect humans against multiple strains of avian and other influenza viruses.

Researchers used two versions of the DNA-based vaccine. One was directed against three viral proteins -- NP and M2, which generally do not mutate quickly, and H5 -- a variable protein, which mutates readily. The other version of the vaccine contained only NP and M2.

The St. Jude study revealed the three-component vaccine -- H5, NP and M2 -- completely protected mice against a highly virulent H5N1 avian flu virus. And other studies suggested the vaccine containing just NP and M2 significantly protected against several strains of human influenza virus as well as the H5N1 strain.

"Such cross-protection against bird and human influenza is considered by researchers to be the 'Holy Grail' of flu vaccines," reports Richard Webby, Ph.D., assistant member of Infectious Diseases at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Even if the bird flu virus mutates so it becomes adapted to humans, this kind of cross-protection will allow the immune system to track and attack such an emerging new variant without missing a beat."

Researchers say a big benefit to these findings is they wouldn't have to wait until the original bird flu virus mutated to start developing a vaccine against it.