Navigation Links
'Protecting virus' offers instant flu protection and converts flu infections into their own vaccines

f one of these 8 strands.

This deletion makes the virus harmless and prevents it from reproducing by itself within a cell, so that it cannot spread like a normal influenza virus. However, if it is joined in the cell by another influenza virus, it retains its harmless nature but starts to reproduce ?and at a much faster rate than the new influenza virus. This fast reproduction rate ?spurred by the new flu infection ? means that the new invading influenza is effectively crowded out by the 'protecting virus'. This vastly slows the progress of the new infection, prevents flu symptoms, and gives the body time to develop an immune response to the harmful new invader. In effect the protecting virus converts the virulent virus into a harmless live vaccine.

Research indicates that the 'protecting virus' would have the same beneficial effect whatever strain of influenza is infecting you. This is because the coat of the virus is irrelevant to the protection process ?the effect works on the virus genes inside the cell. It thus promises to be a highly effective tool when combating the spread of any new strain of virus, as well existing strains. One could give it as a preventive measure without the need to tailor it to a particular flu strain or mutation. This has obvious benefits when dealing with the sudden outbreak of a major epidemic, as one would not need to know the exact make up of the new strain before deploying the protecting virus making it much more useful than vaccines, which are effective only against particular existing strains of virus. In addition it protects instantly, whereas protection generated by conventional flu vaccination takes 2-3 weeks to become fully effective. Experiments so far show that a single dose of protecting virus can be given 6 weeks before an infection with flu virus and be effective. This could also have a substantial advantage over anti-viral drugs that only give less than 24-hour protection. Another advantage
'"/>

Source:University of Warwick


Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Smooth sailing: cruise ship virus tackled by UH, Baylor College of Medicine
2. Clue found to Epstein-Barr virus ability to form and sustain tumors
3. Protein offers way to stop microscopic parasites in their tracks
4. Gene silencing technique offers new strategy for treating, curing disease
5. Mosaic mouse technique offers a powerful new tool to study diseases and genetics
6. Engineered skin offers clues to melanoma development
7. GM crop that holds on to its seeds offers higher yields
8. Novel enzyme offers new look at gene regulation
9. Technique offers new view of dynamic biological landscape
10. Microbiology text tells stories, offers online resources
11. Detection of DNA on nanotubes offers new sensing, sequencing technologies
Post Your Comments:
Other Biology Technology:Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 2Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 3Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 4Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 5Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 6Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 7Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 8Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 9Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 10Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 11Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 12Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 13Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 14Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 15Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 16Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 17Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 18Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 19Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $245 Million 20ADVENTRX to Present Complete ANX-530 Pharmacokinetic Data at the 2008 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2ADVENTRX to Present Complete ANX-530 Pharmacokinetic Data at the 2008 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 3Genes as Time Machines 2