Flu supervaccine may be coming soon

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Vendaval -> Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/23/2009 9:13:38 PM)
Some potential good news for all of you folks suffering through the flu this season. Eventually a new flu vaccine will be out that lasts for more than one season and will be effective against pandemic strains. "Getting closer to a flu supervaccine" By Alice Park, Monday, Feb 23, 2009 "Researchers at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have collaborated to test an antibody-based therapy for flu. Specifically, they tested antibodies that target core, conserved regions of the virus that do not mutate as readily as other parts. That's a little like attacking the virus's operating system instead of just its software. Go after such primal programming, and the bug has less of a chance of mutating its way to resistance — and the vaccine may even have a chance of lasting beyond just a single flu season." (break) "So not only can these antibodies potentially treat an infection once it has already occurred — by disabling the viruses and preventing them from infecting additional healthy cells — they can also position themselves into the binding site of the cells themselves, blocking the virus at the receiving end too. One more advantage of this viral weak spot? It's the same on the vast majority of influenza strains circulating each year, including the ones responsible for the bird flu, H5N1. That makes this antibody approach potentially useful not only against seasonal flu, but against pandemic strains as well." http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1881360,00.html?iid=tsmodule

Aquilifer -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/23/2009 10:17:10 PM)
Interesting article, but "flu supervaccine" is typical newscritter overhype. There's a better story at CIDRAP: Researchers find antibody that fights H5N1, seasonal flu strains . And there is a king-sized dose of common sense at Avian Flu Diary: Research: Monoclonal Antibodies Against Influenza. Long story short, this is being hyped to the walls in the press. The payoff, if any, is some years off, and it isn't likely to be a "supervaccine". The people who are doing the research are talking about a very limited prophylaxis, if the research on mice carries over to human influenzas. It'll also involve manufacture of monoclonal antibodies, which is liable to be costly as hell.

Vendaval -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/23/2009 10:41:12 PM)
Thank you for the insider information, Aquilifer. And welcome to the Forums.

corysub -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/23/2009 11:21:30 PM)
That's good stuff. Still a good idea to get the flu shot? I've also been getting pneumonia shots too. My doc thought it would be something to do particularly as you get deep into middle age...

GimpinDenial -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/23/2009 11:33:06 PM)
it's funny.... Because I really believe the reason why we need flu shots...is well... Just like why we need lawyers, because of other lawyers I haven't been sick very often in my life.... When I have been sick, I did not take any medications I ride it out.. I have had this conversation with a few people in real life... My opinion is, People have damaged their immune systems by allowing their body to become used to the effects of medication.. so when the next time they are sick their bodies think: "Hey, they used that cough stuff last time, I shouldn't have to deal with it" So your body becomes accustomed to outside "help" in dealing with colds/flues Instead of allowing your body to do it's job... Just my opinion on all of the "Flu Vaccine" (which is funny, because those I know who had gotten it, were sick more often!)

DomKen -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/23/2009 11:47:39 PM)
Your opinion is irrelevant. The facts are that modern health care including antiviral vaccines have ended world spanning pandemics and have greatly extended life span and greatly improved general health. Flu vaccine in particular is usually only recommended for those with weak immune systems due to youth, old age or other conditions however that innoculation is sufficient to stop most potential flu pandemics cold.

Aquilifer -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/23/2009 11:56:51 PM)
quote: When I have been sick, I did not take any medications I ride it out.. I have had this conversation with a few people in real life... My opinion is, People have damaged their immune systems by allowing their body to become used to the effects of medication.. so when the next time they are sick their bodies think: "Hey, they used that cough stuff last time, I shouldn't have to deal with it" So your body becomes accustomed to outside "help" in dealing with colds/flues Instead of allowing your body to do it's job... If your body's immune system learns to deal with the bug before the bug either puts you under the ground or jumps to somebody else from you, then "allowing your body to do its job" will work out. If the bug hammers you so fast and so hard that your immune system never has a chance to learn to cope with it, you lose. If the bug hyperstimulates your immune system (Google search "cytokine storm", which is an issue with more pathogenic forms of influenza) and that kills you, you lose. If the bug passes through you and infects somebody else, you lose. Note that seasonal influenza is not only contagious from human to human through casual airborne contact, you can also become infectious up to 24 hours before you yourself have so much as a sniffle. Which means it is a stealth infector. Herd immunity is not going to protect you against influenza because The vaccination isn't a sure thing. Some people get vaccinated but don't get immunity. Lots of people aren't going to get vaccinated at all. There are multiple strains of influenza in circulation every flu season. Yeah, the flu vaccine is a cocktail, since immunity against influenza tends to be strain specific and there are many strains out there. Herd immunity only becomes important when the percentage of the population immune climbs somewhere about 70-75%. The exact number depends on the bug. With measles, for instance, it's more like 84-85% that need to be immune. I don't get the flu shot because I have reason to believe I might risk the sort of allergic reaction to the egg serum that'd be worse than the flu I'm trying to mitigate. But if you're not in this extreme "at-risk" group, and you're old enough that the bug can go through you quickly and severely enough to put your life at risk, get vaccinated. IIRC, most of the 36,000 Americans flu kills every year are the very old and the very young. Yeah, common seasonal flu puts almost as many Americans under the ground every year as car crashes do.

Irishknight -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 2:55:09 AM)
Isn't this the stuff that causes the plagues of zombies in the movies?

Hippiekinkster -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 3:03:42 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Irishknight Isn't this the stuff that causes the plagues of zombies in the movies? If some soldier thinks he died for me, his delusion. "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine." Patti Smythe

calamitysandra -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 8:16:45 AM)
You know, those who died in the 1918 flu pandemic (and other outbreaks of a especially virulent strain of influenza) might just not agree with your take on vaccination. People often seem to forget that the "flu shot" has nothing whatsoever to do with the common flu or cold. It is an immunisation against the much more dangerous influenza virus (or at least against those strains of the virus that are predicted to cause the most problems that year).

kdsub -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 8:35:03 AM)
I wonder if one of these days the big pharmaceutical companies that claim they must charge so much for their drugs because of research....will come up with a discovery? Seems to me that most medical advances come from taxpayer supported institutions...or those that receive tax money for research. I think pharmaceutical company research is just another word for advertising. Butch

MsSpankhardSk -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 8:54:34 AM)
A flu vaccine isn't going to replace a daily standard protocol of taking herbs to boost your immunity. The virus just...mutates. I always wondered what the diet of North Americans was when the Spanish influenza of 1918 hit...was it as crappy as it is now? Would less people have died if they had daily natural herbs included with their diet?

TheHeretic -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 8:58:19 AM)
Lotta good it does me right now, and I had my flu shot this winter. I got home last night with the headache and body aches hitting their stride, went to bed just in time for the fever and chills to kick in. 12 hours of non-restful sleep later, I'm drinking a cup of coffee, and getting ready to go straight back to bed. The flu sucks.

DomKen -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 9:01:02 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MsSpankhardSk A flu vaccine isn't going to replace a daily standard protocol of taking herbs to boost your immunity. The virus just...mutates. I always wondered what the diet of North Americans was when the Spanish influenza of 1918 hit...was it as crappy as it is now? Would less people have died if they had daily natural herbs included with their diet? In 1918 the US was one of the best nourished nations and the pandemic hit us hard. Herbs don't boost your immune system unless you are adding bacteria and viri to them.

calamitysandra -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 11:46:44 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: TheHeretic Lotta good it does me right now, and I had my flu shot this winter. I got home last night with the headache and body aches hitting their stride, went to bed just in time for the fever and chills to kick in. 12 hours of non-restful sleep later, I'm drinking a cup of coffee, and getting ready to go straight back to bed. The flu sucks. Most likely, and hopefully, you are just having a common cold, which is often missnamed flu. The shot does nothing for that, as it is an immunisation against influenza. The common cold is just to be weathered. It is uncomfortable, but has not much of a potential to kill you. I hope you feel better soon. Take care of yourself.

GimpinDenial -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 2:54:27 PM)
Ya'll are brow beating me for my opinion, and I respect that.... but, let's take a look at those that the vaccine is intended for: Six and under Fifty and older and the immunocompromised Correct? Now, the 1918 outbreak was a virus that should have stayed within the bird population, but Humans must have contracted the virus when a select few consumed the dead flesh of infected poultry, which then mutated to transmit from person to person. In this day, the spanish flu should not happen again outside of third world countries I admit the Avian flu has scared a lot of people, but there is program to "battle" that issue, but has no relevancy to the SuperVaccine Now, for the common flu, name one case ONE Where a healthy individual (before contracting any influenza strain other than A) has died without the aid of a Vaccine The Vaccine currently used today, is aimed towards the common flu... So, I still stand by my original opinion....

Vendaval -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 4:17:24 PM)
Heretic, Rest and drink lots of fluids and be a good patient for your lovely wife.

DomKen -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 4:20:17 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: GimpinDenial Ya'll are brow beating me for my opinion, and I respect that.... but, let's take a look at those that the vaccine is intended for: Six and under Fifty and older and the immunocompromised Correct? Now, the 1918 outbreak was a virus that should have stayed within the bird population, but Humans must have contracted the virus when a select few consumed the dead flesh of infected poultry, which then mutated to transmit from person to person. In this day, the spanish flu should not happen again outside of third world countries I admit the Avian flu has scared a lot of people, but there is program to "battle" that issue, but has no relevancy to the SuperVaccine Now, for the common flu, name one case ONE Where a healthy individual (before contracting any influenza strain other than A) has died without the aid of a Vaccine The Vaccine currently used today, is aimed towards the common flu... So, I still stand by my original opinion.... Almost all flu comes from birds or pigs. We don't know for sure what kind the 1918 one was since we didn't have the sort of tests available now. All flu spreads by breathing in viral particles not from eating infected meat. People in close contact with infected animals get it because they breath in lots of the particles and evetually the right mutant infects the person and can then multiply and affect others. Healthy adults die every year from flu and complications of the flu. It's rare now that we have decent health care but it still happens. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

Vendaval -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 5:00:49 PM)
DomKen, Thank you for clarifying that. What kinds of tests are necessary to determine the type of flu or its origins? quote: ORIGINAL: DomKen Almost all flu comes from birds or pigs. We don't know for sure what kind the 1918 one was since we didn't have the sort of tests available now.

DomKen -> RE: Flu supervaccine may be coming soon (2/24/2009 5:35:40 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Vendaval DomKen, Thank you for clarifying that. What kinds of tests are necessary to determine the type of flu or its origins? quote: ORIGINAL: DomKen Almost all flu comes from birds or pigs. We don't know for sure what kind the 1918 one was since we didn't have the sort of tests available now. Primarily gene sequencing and comparing to strains present in suspect animal populations. Let me do some googling and I'll try and find one of the blog posts from back during the H5N1 scare that explained things.

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