Flu vaccine (seasonal) may offer cross protection for H5N1

[AlaskaDenise]

Times Colonist

Published: Monday, February 19, 2007

The yearly flu vaccine that health officials urge people to get each fall might also offer some cross-protection against the H5N1 virus known as bird flu, according to investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Investigators found a protein in the flu shot can act as a vaccine and trigger some protection against H5N1 in mice; some human volunteers already had antibodies directed against the same part of this virus.

Cross-protection occurs when the immune response triggered by a vaccine designed to protect against one virus also offers some protection against a different virus.

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Flu vaccine also for the birds

It would be nice to see the original work by St. Jude's so we can be assured this story doesn't contain any misinterpretations by a reporter.

I believe a regular flu shot can "stimulate" the immune system and be helpful, but it would be interesting to read the scientific version of the report.

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[scottmcpherson]

Re: Flu vaccine also for the birds

http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040059

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Flu vaccine also for the birds

Thanks....the details are great.

Conclusions These data reveal that humoral immunity elicited by huN1 can partially protect against H5N1 infection in a mammalian host. Our results suggest that a portion of the human population could have some degree of resistance to H5N1 influenza, with the possibility that this could be induced or enhanced through immunization with seasonal influenza vaccines.

Maybe that's why I rarely get flu - I had a terrible case of H2N2 in 1957!
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