Seasonal flu vaccine induces antibodies that protect against H7N9 avian flu

(University of Chicago Medical Center) Antibodies that protect against H7N9 avian flu, which emerged in China in 2013 and sparked fears of a global pandemic, have been isolated in individuals who received seasonal flu vaccinations. These antibodies account for a small percentage of the total immune response, but appear to broadly neutralize H7 viruses and represent promising new targets for therapeutic development against a wide range of influenza strains.