Flu Breakthrough Promises a Vaccine to Kill All Strains!

1918 Spanish Flu

In 1918, the Spanish Flu caused an estimated 50 million deaths worldwide, including at least 675,000 deaths in the U.S. Genetic material recovered from the preserved (frozen) bodies of people who had died from that flu have enabled scientists to identify the causative influenza virus subtype as having been H1N1 (the swine flu).

This virus was exceedingly virulent, which meant that those who were infected became very sick, many dying the same day as the first symptoms presented. Of those who did not die in the first few days, a high proportion succumbed later to flu-related complications, such as pneumonia. High infection rates and mortalities were especially common among otherwise healthy adults aged 20-50. High-risk groups, such as the elderly and young children, also had high infection rates and mortalities. No subsequent influenza pandemic has been caused by a virus as virulent as the 1918 influenza A virus.

If used widely a universal flu vaccine could prevent pandemics, such as the swine flu outbreaks of recent years, and end the need for a seasonal flu shot.
READ: Flu breakthrough promises a vaccine to kill all strains | Society | The Guardian