Swiss researchers identify potential alternative to flu vaccination
Scientists at the Università della Svizzera italianaExternal link (USI) have discovered a molecule capable of recognising multiple variants of the influenza virus and triggering the correct immune response in patients.
This content was published on
1 minute
SDA-Keystone/ac
Português
pt
Pesquisadores suíços identificam alternativas à vacinação contra a gripe
The influenza virus is able to mutate over time and escape the body’s immune response. As a result, vaccines against the seasonal flu have to be reformulated every year.
Scientists at the Biomedicine Research Institute at the USI, have found a way to help the immune system detect and destroy new flu variants. They have identified a molecule called SIGN-R1, which recognises variants of the virus and can therefore direct the immune system’s response to eliminate them. SIGN-R1 is also able to bind to other respiratory pathogens such as pneumococcal bacteria that cause a range of diseases like pneumonia and meningitis.
These results of the study – done in collaboration with University of Toulouse (France), Harvard Medical School (Boston) and Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York) – could pave the way for research into alternative therapies to vaccination, based on molecules of the same family as SIGN-R1, according to the authors.
These treatments could be used on patients already infected and for whom vaccination is not effective. They could also help children and the elderly better tolerate the effects of vaccines. The results of the study have been published in the journal Nature Microbiology.
More
More
Vaccine scepticism – a phenomenon in affluent societies
This content was published on
Some parents in Switzerland decide not to have their children vaccinated, which prevents the full eradication of certain diseases. Why?
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
This content was published on
The suspension of asylum procedures decided Monday following the fall of Bashar al-Assad affects 500 Syrian applicants in Switzerland.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Flu cases hit official epidemic level
This content was published on
Flu season has hit Switzerland, with babies and children under five the most affected, according to the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health.
This content was published on
The idea is that by monitoring millions of users’ behaviours online, the large number of Google search queries that are gathered can be analyzed to reveal the presence of flu-like illness in a population. In the United States, researchers have found that Google search data could be used to predict regional outbreaks of flu up…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.