Antibody Blocks Bird Flu
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Antibody Blocks Bird Flu

Even with the advancement of research in Medical Science, bird flu remains a serious menace to public health.

Researchers from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center did breakthrough research to combat one of the most dangerous of the influenza viruses that have been transmitted from birds to humans- the H7N9 Virus.

A senior researcher from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center- James Crowe Jr., MD, and colleagues reported that human monoclonal antibodies, isolated from 2 survivors of H7N9 infections, protected mice from an otherwise lethal viral challenge.

Antibody Blocks Bird Flu- How Will This Research Benefit Patients’?

Dr. Crowe said that the point of this paper is that antibodies produced by humans are sufficient to protect or treat bird flu. The research conducted by VUMC makes it clear that the antibodies described could be used to prevent or treat disease in humans. The study also suggests that optimized vaccines that induce this type of antibody would protect against infection.

The first known outbreak of the H7N9 influenza virus occurred in China in 2013. By the end of 2013, 144 cases had been reported, and more than 30% of the infected individuals had died.

The World Health Organization considers

the H7N9 Virus as the most lethal influenza virus Dr. Crowe adds that in case the virus mutates itself and becomes capable of being transmitted from one person to the other; a worldwide pandemic could occur.

Antibody Blocks Bird Flu
Antibody Blocks Bird Flu- Production of Monoclonal Antibody to Block Bird Flu

Crowe’s lab has developed highly efficient methods that can quickly isolate antibody-producing white blood cells (WBCs) from survivor blood samples and then fuse them to fast-growing myeloma (cancer) cells. In this way, scientists can produce large quantities of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) that target specific viruses.

Dr. Crowe and his team of researchers have isolated human monoclonal antibodies for many pathogenic viruses, including HIV, dengue, Zika, Ebola, norovirus, rotavirus and, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). They have pioneered the rational design of neutralizing antibody treatments and vaccines, some of which have progressed to clinical trials.

This study- Antibody Blocks Bird Flu was supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Research Resources & National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

Rahul Mishra is a Science enthusiast and eager to learn something new each day. He has a degree in Microbiology and has joined forces with Biotecnika in 2019 due to his passion for writing and science.

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