Antibodies that could protect against bird flu in humans have been isolated by an international team of scientists. It’s hoped human trials of the bird flu antibody could begin soon.
Scientists working in Switzerland, Vietnam and the United States say they have isolated antibodies that they hope could offer protection against several different strains of the virus simultaneously.
The discovery could lead to treatments that complement flu vaccines in the event of a human epidemic of the virus.
The H5N1 bird flu virus is estimated to have killed more than 180 people around the world since 2003.
Antibodies are used by our immune system to neutralise bacteria and viruses - in this case, the scientists have isolated antibodies that bird flu survivors in Vietnam produced to fight off the disease.
Professor Antonio Lanzavecchia, at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Switzerland, says the antibodies have already proven effective in the lab and in mice and he is confident that they could be used in humans.
Link [news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6699463.stm]
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