Avian influenza antibody found

An international team of scientists who have isolated bird flu antibodies could help fight bird flu in humans - the disease that has claimed more than 180 lives worldwide.

The team hopes that human avian influenza antibody tests will soon begin (Photo: AFP)

Currently, some countries have stocked avian influenza vaccines to prevent the risk of a human outbreak, but no one knows how effective these vaccines are. According to a group of Swiss, Vietnamese and American scientists, with the isolation of avian influenza antibodies, they hope to be able to simultaneously combat many different strains of avian influenza virus.

The antibodies above are taken from the blood of those infected with live bird flu in Vietnam. Professor Antonio Lanzavecchia, of the Institute of Biomedical Research in Switzerland, said the antibody has proven to be very effective in lab rats, and he believes they can also be used for humans.

'By using a special technique, we can isolate cells that produce antibodies and these antibodies can be reproduced in the laboratory and eventually mass produced for conditioning. treat many people ', he said.

According to the researchers, this antibody could be used to protect doctors and nurses in countries with bird flu. It can also be used for emergency treatment for early infected people.

WALL VY