Scientists are one step closer to creating a universal flu vaccine that would take down any and all strains of the virus.
Medical researchers noticed patients who developed mild flu symptoms (or none at all) had a greater population of virus-fighting CD8 T-cells. These cells attack the virus at its core, which doesn't change from strain-to-strain, an Imperial College London press release reported.
The researchers believe a vaccine that causes the body to produce more CD8 T-cells could prevent the flu virus universally. Current vaccines recognize the structures on the surface of the virus, which vary between strains. Modern flu vaccines must be recreated annually to fit the current mutations.
"New strains of flu are continuously emerging, some of which are deadly, and so the Holy Grail is to create a universal vaccine that would be effective against all strains of flu," Professor Ajit Lalvani of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, said.
Imperial College researchers asked 342 staff members and students to donate blood samples during the 2009 swine flu pandemic.
Every three weeks the participants were asked to fill out a short health survey, if they had experienced flu-like symptoms they were asked to send a nasal swab to the lab. The researchers noticed those who produced more CD8 T-cells had less-severe infections.
"The immune system produces these CD8 T cells in response to usual seasonal flu. Unlike antibodies, they target the core of the virus, which doesn't change, even in new pandemic strains. The 2009 pandemic provided a unique natural experiment to test whether T cells could recognize, and protect us against, new strains that we haven't encountered before and to which we lack antibodies," Professor Lalvani said.
The finding could lead to a significant improvement in our ability to fight the dreaded flu.
"We already know how to stimulate the immune system to make CD8 T cells by vaccination. Now that we know these T cells may protect, we can design a vaccine to prevent people getting symptoms and transmitting infection to others. This could curb seasonal flu annually and protect people against future pandemics," Professor Lalvani said.
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