By Catherine Wolf, KWMU
St. Louis, MO –
St. Louis University researchers say they're one step closer to developing a universal vaccine for the common flu virus. They presented their findings at a National Foundation for Infectious Disease conference in Baltimore Monday.
Researchers gave nearly 400 adults a low dose of a universal vaccine for six months. They say it produced high antibody levels, similar to those that protect small animals with flu from disease and death.
The researchers say giving people a universal vaccine in addition to a seasonal flu shot could improve protection against the virus, which can change strains yearly. Currently, manufacturers make a different flu vaccine each year to combat the strain health officials expect to develop.