A long-running debate in vaccine design revolves around whether a vaccine should be optimized to prevent the virus from replicating inside an infected host or prevent the virus from transmitting to others. New research led by Penn State scientists suggests there may not have to be a tradeoff.
The study in animal models, published today (March 13) in the journal Science Advances, demonstrates a way to stop the influenza virus from leaping from one host to the next while continuing to keep the virus from replicating inside the host. The findings reveal that the body’s defenses against two proteins on the surface of the virus – hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) – can work to reduce the chance of airborne spread in a measurable way.
“This suggests that intentionally targeting these two proteins…