Seasonal flu vaccine could also protect against H7N9 avian flu

A new research has found that antibodies that protect against H7N9 avian flu have been isolated in individuals who received seasonal flu vaccinations.

The research conducted by University Of Chicago Medical Center explained that antibodies protection, which emerged in China account for a small percentage of the total immune response, but appear to neutralize H7 viruses and represent promising new targets for therapeutic development against a wide range of influenza strains.

Patrick Wilson, co-senior author said that the normal immune response to flu vaccination offers protection against dangerous and highly unique strains of influenza such as H7N9, so they will now develop ways of amplifying this response.

Carole Henry, author of the study said that they observed that antibodies induced by flu vaccination offer cross-protection against H7N9, although they are not always protective, H7-reactive antibodies can be found in almost everyone that's been vaccinated.

Wilson concluded that they will exploit this response on a larger scale to make vaccines or therapeutics that offer broad protection against influenza strains.

The study is published in the journal of Clinical Investigation.