Molecular basis of antigenic drift in Influenza A/H3N2 strains (1968-2007) in the light of antigenantibody interactions.

ABSTRACT: The emergence of new strains of Influenza virus have caused several pandemics over the last hundred years with the latest being the H1N1 Swine flu pandemic of 2009. The Hemagglutinin (HA) protein of the Influenza virus is the primary target of human immune system and is responsible for generation of protective antibodies in humans. Mutations in this protein results in change in antigenic regions (antigenic drift) which consequently leads to loss of immunity in hosts even in vaccinated population (herd immunity). This necessitates periodic changes in the Influenza vaccine composition. In this paper, we investigate the molecular basis of the reported loss of herd immunity in vaccinated population (vaccine component: Influenza A/X-31/1968 (H3N2)) which resulted in the outbreak due to strain I

SUBMITTER: Shil P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3124691 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature