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Imagine getting vaccinated against the flu and staying there until the end of your days, without boosters. This is the ultimate goal of researchers at the University of Iowa, who work with the National Institutes of Health to develop what they call a "universal" influenza vaccine. Kevin Legge, Professor of U-I Pathology, explains that he is working in stages and is first trying to refine a multi-year influenza vaccine.
Each flu season brings a new set of influenza strains in circulation, which means that the seasonal vaccine we have now is only good for a year. The universal vaccine would be good for many strains over several years. Until now, he says the vaccine has been able to protect mice against several influenza strains.
When we talk about a vaccine, which many of us associate with getting stuck in the arm with a syringe, Legge says it would be inhaled.
U-I researchers work in collaboration with colleagues at Iowa State University.
In the last influenza season, there were 272 flu-related deaths in Iowa.
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