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Influenza A virus (IAV) is a pathogen that causes the flu in birds and some mammals, including humans. It is an RNA virus whose subtypes have been isolated from wild birds. Occasionally, it is transmitted from wild to domestic birds, and this may cause severe disease, outbreaks, or human influenza pandemics.
Orthomyxoviridae is a family of negative-sense RNA viruses. It includes seven genera: Alphainfluenzavirus, Betainfluenzavirus, Gammainfluenzavirus, Deltainfluenzavirus, Isavirus, Thogotovirus, and Quaranjavirus. The first four genera contain viruses that cause influenza in birds and mammals, including humans. Isaviruses infect salmon; the thogotoviruses are arboviruses, infecting vertebrates and invertebrates. The Quaranjaviruses are also arboviruses, infecting vertebrates (birds) and invertebrates (arthropods).
Oseltamivir, sold under the brand name Tamiflu, is an antiviral medication used to treat and prevent influenza A and influenza B, viruses that cause the flu. Many medical organizations recommend it in people who have complications or are at high risk of complications within 48 hours of first symptoms of infection. They recommend it to prevent infection in those at high risk, but not the general population. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that clinicians use their discretion to treat those at lower risk who present within 48 hours of first symptoms of infection. It is taken by mouth, either as a pill or liquid.
Rimantadine is an orally administered antiviral drug used to treat, and in rare cases prevent, influenzavirus A infection. When taken within one to two days of developing symptoms, rimantadine can shorten the duration and moderate the severity of influenza. Rimantadine can mitigate symptoms, including fever. Both rimantadine and the similar drug amantadine are derivates of adamantane. Rimantadine is found to be more effective than amantadine because when used the patient displays fewer symptoms. Rimantadine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994.
Influenza vaccines, also known as flu shots, are vaccines that protect against infection by influenza viruses. New versions of the vaccines are developed twice a year, as the influenza virus rapidly changes. While their effectiveness varies from year to year, most provide modest to high protection against influenza. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that vaccination against influenza reduces sickness, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. Immunized workers who do catch the flu return to work half a day sooner on average. Vaccine effectiveness in those over 65 years old remains uncertain due to a lack of high-quality research.
Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is a type of influenza vaccine in the form of a nasal spray that is recommended for the prevention of influenza.
Swine influenza is an infection caused by any of several types of swine influenza viruses. Swine influenza virus (SIV) or swine-origin influenza virus (S-OIV) refers to any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. As of 2009, identified SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.
MedImmune, LLC was a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca before February 14, 2019, when it was announced that the MedImmune name and branding would be discontinued in favor of AstraZeneca.
In virology, influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A/H1N1) is a subtype of influenza A virus. Major outbreaks of H1N1 strains in humans include the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, the 1977 Russian flu pandemic and the 2009 swine flu pandemic. It is an orthomyxovirus that contains the glycoproteins hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), antigens whose subtypes are used to classify the strains of the virus as H1N1, H1N2 etc. Hemagglutinin causes red blood cells to clump together and binds the virus to the infected cell. Neuraminidase is a type of glycoside hydrolase enzyme which helps to move the virus particles through the infected cell and assist in budding from the host cells.
Influenza A virus subtype H3N2 (A/H3N2) is a subtype of viruses that causes influenza (flu). H3N2 viruses can infect birds and mammals. In birds, humans, and pigs, the virus has mutated into many strains. In years in which H3N2 is the predominant strain, there are more hospitalizations.
Peramivir is an antiviral drug developed by BioCryst Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of influenza. Peramivir is a neuraminidase inhibitor, acting as a transition-state analogue inhibitor of influenza neuraminidase and thereby preventing new viruses from emerging from infected cells. It is approved for intravenous administration.
H5N1 clinical trials are clinical trials concerning H5N1 vaccines, which are intended to provide immunization to influenza A virus subtype H5N1. They are intended to discover pharmacological effects and identify any adverse reactions the vaccines may achieve in humans.
Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms begin from one to four days after exposure to the virus and last for about 2–8 days. Diarrhea and vomiting can occur, particularly in children. Influenza may progress to pneumonia, which can be caused by the virus or by a subsequent bacterial infection. Other complications of infection include acute respiratory distress syndrome, meningitis, encephalitis, and worsening of pre-existing health problems such as asthma and cardiovascular disease.
The 2009 swine flu pandemic vaccines were influenza vaccines developed to protect against the pandemic H1N1/09 virus. These vaccines either contained inactivated (killed) influenza virus, or weakened live virus that could not cause influenza. The killed virus was injected, while the live virus was given as a nasal spray. Both these types of vaccine were produced by growing the virus in chicken eggs. Around three billion doses were produced, with delivery in November 2009.
A H5N1 vaccine is an influenza vaccine intended to provide immunization to influenza A virus subtype H5N1.
Cell-based vaccines are developed from mammalian or more rarely avian or insect cell lines rather than the more common method which uses the cells in embryonic chicken eggs to develop the antigens. The potential use of cell culture techniques in developing viral vaccines has been widely investigated in the 2000s as a complementary and alternative platform to the current egg-based strategies.
A universal flu vaccine is a flu vaccine that is effective against all influenza strains regardless of the virus sub type, antigenic drift or antigenic shift. Hence it should not require modification from year to year. As of 2021 no universal flu vaccine had been approved for general use, several were in development, and one was in clinical trial.
Type A influenza vaccine is for the prevention of infection of influenza A virus and also the influenza-related complications. Different monovalent type A influenza vaccines have been developed for different subtypes of influenza A virus including H1N1 and H5N1. Both intramuscular injection or intranasal spray are available on market. Unlike the seasonal influenza vaccines which are used annually, they are usually used during the outbreak of certain strand of subtypes of influenza A. Common adverse effects includes injection site reaction and local tenderness. Incidences of headache and myalgia were also reported with H1N1 whereas cases of fever has also been demonstrated with H5N1 vaccines. It is stated that immunosuppressant therapies would reduce the therapeutic effects of vaccines and that people with egg allergy should go for the egg-free preparations.
References
- ↑ "Sanofi to acquire Protein Sciences". sanofi.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- ↑ Treanor, John J.; Schiff, Gilbert M.; Hayden, Frederick G.; Brady, Rebecca C.; Hay, C. Mhorag; Meyer, Anthony L.; Holden-Wiltse, Jeanne; Liang, Hua; Gilbert, Adam; Cox, Manon (April 11, 2007). "Safety and Immunogenicity of a Baculovirus-Expressed Hemagglutinin Influenza VaccineA Randomized Controlled Trial". JAMA. 297 (14): 1577–1582. doi:10.1001/jama.297.14.1577. PMID 17426277. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023– via Silverchair.
- ↑ "The NIH Biomedical Research Response to Influenza". Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ↑ "NBC Connecticut: Swine Flu Vaccine Could Be Ready in 6 Weeks". Archived from the original on 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
- ↑ "FDA Panel to Consider New Flu Vaccine Technology". Wall Street Journal . November 13, 2009. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
Protein Sciences Corp. a private firm based in Meriden, Conn., is seeking Food and Drug Administration approval for its FluBlok seasonal influenza vaccine, although the same technology can be used to make an H1N1 vaccine to protect against the swine flu. The vaccine will be reviewed by outside medical experts who serve on the agency's vaccine advisory panel.
- ↑ "Flublok, (Influenza Vaccine, Recombinant Hemagglutinin), Briefing Document, FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Meeting, November 19, 2009" (PDF). Food and Drug Administration . Archived (PDF) from the original on May 14, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ↑ Andrew Pollack, "Rapidly Produced Flu Vaccine Wins F.D.A. Approval" Archived 2017-04-26 at the Wayback Machine , The New York Times, January 16, 2013
- ↑ "FDA press release". Food and Drug Administration . Archived from the original on May 18, 2013. Retrieved October 3, 2023.