Recent study led to development of a new vaccine which is capable of fighting many types of influenza. This study was done by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, Saitama Medical University and chemical maker NOF Corp.

Present vaccines target proteins that look like barbs covering the outer surface of the virus. But the problem is that these proteins can quickly change their shape and moreover several strains of influenza have differently shaped proteins. Hence new vaccines need to be developed every year.

The recent study was based on the proteins inside the virus, which change little over time as compared to those on the outer surface. The new medicines contain an artificial version of the protein that is attached to a special lipid membrane. When the vaccine is injected, immune system cells attack the cells infected by the virus. The research team studied the proteins of the Hong Kong A strain, the Soviet A type, and the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu. Animal models implanted with human genes showed no symptoms of the illness when infected with the three viruses. The vaccine suppressed the viruses' ability to multiply.