Periodicum biologorum, Vol. 114 No. 2, 2012.
Review article
Old and new ways to combat human influenza virus
MAJA ŠANTAK
; Institute of Immunology Inc., Rockefellerova 10, Zagreb, CROATIA
Abstract
Influenza viruses have been with mankind for at least 300 years, with
epidemics occurring every few years and pandemics every few decades. They replicate extremely rapidly in the host therefore demanding a fast and
effective antiviral response. Despite the availability of seasonal trivalent
vaccines and antivirals, which are effective for most recipients, influenza
remains serious disease. The reason for that is a grand capacity of the
influenza virus to adapt to new environmental conditions and evolutionary
pressure. Vaccination remains the main protective measure against influenza for general population. The first vaccine was administered in the 1940s and ever since the influenza vaccine has provided tremendous relief against influenza infections. However, time has revealed the ultimate limit of the vaccine and the call for its reinvention has now come. The purpose of this review is to give a brief but comprehensive overview of the currently used prophylactic and therapeutic approaches against influenza and the new most promising developments in this field.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
94073
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2012.
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