Development of a universal flu vaccine is a crucial public health goal among the infectious disease communities, as seasonal influenza vaccines require regular updates, offer limited protection against seasonal strains and little to no protection against emerging pandemic strains.
In June, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health hosted a workshop in Rockville, Md., which united experts from academia, industry and government to discuss weak points in influenza research inhibiting the development of a universal flu vaccine. The discussion is documented in the journal Immunity.
Experts identified three research needs as critical to the creation of a universal influenza vaccine.
1. Improved surveillance of influenza transmission in the developing world.
2. More research into how the virus is transmitted and the body's immune response to both vaccination and infection.
3. Studies enrolling healthy adult volunteers who are then purposely infected with influenza under supervision in an inpatient setting. Such studies could greatly improve knowledge of the mechanisms driving influenza immunity and be used to test flu vaccine candidates.
To read the full summary of the discussion, click here.
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