Russian doctors have successfully tested influenza vaccine and viral pneumonia

19:38 to 05.06.2019Download a shorter link

Scientists in St. Petersburg have successfully developed and tested a vaccine that simultaneously protects patients from influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), responsible for bronchiolitis and one of the most dangerous forms of pneumonia . The results of experiments on mice have been published in the journal "Antiviral Research".

"We have shown that new vaccines protect mice from influenza and RSV and that they are safe.They provide a unique opportunity to use a preparation to fight both viral respiratory tract infections simultaneously." more dangerous, "said Irina Isakova Sivak, of the St. Petersburg Institute of Experimental Medicine.

Every year, thousands of people die from the flu epidemic. The fight against this disease is complicated by the fact that this virus has three types – A, B and C, so it is difficult to predict which type of virus will be most prevalent this year or the following year. In addition, vaccination allows the patient to develop immunity in one or more strains.

Respiratory syncytial virus, caused each year by about 30 million preschool children, dies thousands. Unlike the flu, vaccines against this pathogen still do not exist.

It has been reported that the first experimental drugs based on the weakened version of RSV caused a strong allergic reaction when the true virus is introduced into the body.

According to the press service of the Russian Scientific Foundation, Isakova Sivak and his colleagues have managed to solve this problem by relying on all the information that Russian scientists have managed to create when creating various influenza vaccines based on the weakened version of this virus in recent decades.

The scientists tested the vaccine on dozens of routine laboratory mice, injecting two doses of experimental vaccine or an "old" product based on a weakened version of RSV with a two-week break. Two weeks later, scientists tried to infect these viruses and followed the reactions of their immunity.

Experiments have shown that new "hybrid" vaccines protect mice from influenza and cause inflammation of the lungs, do not cause allergies or serious side effects. In the opinion of scientists, all this paves the way for clinical trials of these vaccines on volunteers.