Scientists have identified a potential universal influenza vaccine that could protect people against most strains of the virus.
Hemagglutinin:
Recent development:Haemagglutinin (designated as HA) is a glycoprotein found on the surface of influenza viruses.
The name comes from the protein's ability to cause red blood cells (erythrocytes) to clump together (agglutinate) in vitro.
Being a class I fusion protein, it is responsible for binding the virus to cells with sialic acid on the membranes, such as cells in the erythrocytes.
The candidate vaccine, described in the journal Nature Communications, is called the hemagglutinin (HA) stalk which protected mice from infection by various flu strains.
HA stalk has the potential to be developed into a universal flu vaccine, which – unlike the current seasonal flu vaccines – could be given a few times over a lifetime to provide protection potentially similar to a tetanus vaccine.
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