British scientists claim flu vaccine breakthrough - Yahoo! News
Scientists in Britain have successfully tested a vaccine which could work against all known flu strains, the Guardian newspaper reported Monday.
The new vaccine, developed by scientists at Oxford University, differs from traditional treatments by targeting proteins inside the flu virus rather than proteins on the flu's external coat.
The two proteins within the virus are similar across strains and less likely to mutate, meaning new vaccines would not have to be developed for each new strain of the illness.
Traditional vaccines stimulate the body to produce antibodies to fight the flu, whereas the new treatment, developed by a team led by Sarah Gilbert, boosts the production of T-cells, which identify and kill infected cells.
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