The World Health Organization estimates that over half a million people die every year from influenza, and the social and economic costs are impossible to calculate. But new research from the University of Washington School of Medicine could help pave the way for a universal flu shot by creating a DNA vaccine. The vaccine would target the genetic components of the virus. DNA vaccines are a new part of modern medical research. They work by inserting a genetic code into a cell directing it to produce a “pathogenic antigen that subsequently triggers an immune response,” writes New Atlas. They are cheaper and faster to make than traditional vaccines and one shot could protect against all influenza strains, both past and future, which would be a one up from the flu shot offered today. However, early DNA vaccine studies have not proven to be very effective, and dermal skin patches can induce better antibody responses than more traditional intramuscular injections. So far, however, the latest DNA vaccine experiment for influenza has been showing positive results.
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