A person's chances of falling ill from a new strain of flu are at least partly determined by the first strain they ever met with, a study suggests.
A
person
's
chances
of
falling
ill
from
a
new
strain
of
flu
are
at
least
partly
determined
by
the
first
strain
they
ever
met
with
,
a
study
suggests
.
Research in Science Journal looked at the 18 strains of influenza A and the hemagglutinin protein on its surface.
Research
in
Science
Journal
looked
at
the
18
strains
of
influenza
A
and
the
hemagglutinin
protein
on
its
surface
.
They say there are only two types of this protein and people are protected from the one their body meets first, but at risk from the other one.
They
say
there
are
only
two
types
of
this
protein
and
people
are
protected
from
the
one
their
body
meets
first
,
but
at
risk
from
the
other
one
.
A UK expert said that could explain different patterns in flu pandemics.
A
UK
expert
said
that
could
explain
different
patterns
in
flu
pandemics
.
The researchers, from University of Arizona in Tucson and the University of California, Los Angeles, suggest their findings could explain why some flu outbreaks cause more deaths and serious illnesses in younger people.
The
researchers
,
from
University
of
Arizona
in
Tucson
and
the
University
of
California
,
Los
Angeles
,
suggest
their
findings
could
explain
why
some
flu
outbreaks
cause
more
deaths
and
serious
illnesses
in
younger
people
.
The first time a person's immune system meets a flu virus, it makes antibodies targeting hemagglutinin protein that sticks out of the surface of the virus - like a lollipop.
The
first
time
a
person
's
immune
system
meets
a
flu
virus
,
it
makes
antibodies
targeting
hemagglutinin
protein
that
sticks
out
of
the
surface
of
the
virus
-
like
a
lollipop
.
Even though there are 18 types of influenza A, there are only two versions of hemagglutinin.
Even
though
there
are
18
types
of
influenza
A
,
there
are
only
two
versions
of
hemagglutinin
.
The researchers, led by Dr Michael Worobey, classed them as "blue" and "orange" lollipops.
The
researchers
,
led
by
Dr
Michael
Worobey
,
classed
them
as
``
blue
''
and
``
orange
''
lollipops
.
They said people born before the late 1960s were exposed to "blue lollipop" flu viruses - H1 or H2 - as children.
They
said
people
born
before
the
late
1960s
were
exposed
to
``
blue
lollipop
''
flu
viruses
-
H1
or
H2
-
as
children
.
In later life they rarely fell ill from another "blue lollipop" flu - H5N1 bird flu, but they died from "orange" H7N9.
In
later
life
they
rarely
fell
ill
from
another
``
blue
lollipop
''
flu
-
H5N1
bird
flu
,
but
they
died
from
``
orange
''
H7N9
.
Those born in the late 1960s and exposed to "orange lollipop" flu - H3 - have the opposite pattern.
Those
born
in
the
late
1960s
and
exposed
to
``
orange
lollipop
''
flu
-
H3
-
have
the
opposite
pattern
.
His team looked at cases of H5N1 and H7N9 - two kinds of bird flu which have affected hundreds of people, but have not developed into pandemics.
His
team
looked
at
cases
of
H5N1
and
H7N9
-
two
kinds
of
bird
flu
which
have
affected
hundreds
of
people
,
but
have
not
developed
into
pandemics
.
The researchers found a 75% protection rate against severe disease and 80% protection rate against death if patients had been exposed to a virus with the same protein version when they were children.
The
researchers
found
a
75
%
protection
rate
against
severe
disease
and
80
%
protection
rate
against
death
if
patients
had
been
exposed
to
a
virus
with
the
same
protein
version
when
they
were
children
.
DrWorobey said the finding could explain the unusual effect of the 1918 "Spanish flu" pandemic, which was more deadly among young adults.
DrWorobey
said
the
finding
could
explain
the
unusual
effect
of
the
1918
``
Spanish
flu
''
pandemic
,
which
was
more
deadly
among
young
adults
.
"Those young adults were killed by an H1 virus and from blood analysed many decades later there is a pretty strong indication that those individuals had been exposed to a mismatched H3 as children and were therefore not protected against H1.
``
Those
young
adults
were
killed
by
an
H1
virus
and
from
blood
analysed
many
decades
later
there
is
a
pretty
strong
indication
that
those
individuals
had
been
exposed
to
a
mismatched
H3
as
children
and
were
therefore
not
protected
against
H1
.
The fact that we are seeing exactly the same pattern with current H5N1 and H7N9 cases suggests that the same fundamental processes may govern both the historic 1918 pandemic and today's contenders for the next big flu pandemic."
The
fact
that
we
are
seeing
exactly
the
same
pattern
with
current
H5N1
and
H7N9
cases
suggests
that
the
same
fundamental
processes
may
govern
both
the
historic
1918
pandemic
and
today
's
contenders
for
the
next
big
flu
pandemic
.
''
Jonathan Ball, professor of University of Nottingham, said, "This is a really neat piece of work and provides a reason why human populations have been sensitive to different strains of bird influenza over the past 100 years or so.
Jonathan
Ball
,
professor
of
University
of
Nottingham
,
said
,
``
This
is
a
really
neat
piece
of
work
and
provides
a
reason
why
human
populations
have
been
sensitive
to
different
strains
of
bird
influenza
over
the
past
100
years
or
so
.
The findings are based on analysis of patient records and they certainly need further proof in the laboratory, but nonetheless the results are pretty amazing and inspiring."
The
findings
are
based
on
analysis
of
patient
records
and
they
certainly
need
further
proof
in
the
laboratory
,
but
nonetheless
the
results
are
pretty
amazing
and
inspiring
.
''
A person's chances of falling ill from a new strain of flu are at least partly determined by the first strain they ever met with, a study suggests.  Research in Science Journal looked at the 18 strains of influenza A and the hemagglutinin protein on its surface. They say there are only two types of this protein and people are protected from the one their body meets first, but at risk from the other one.  A UK expert said that could explain different patterns in flu pandemics.  The researchers, from University of Arizona in Tucson and the University of California, Los Angeles, suggest their findings could explain why some flu outbreaks cause more deaths and serious illnesses in younger people. The first time a person's immune system meets a flu virus, it makes antibodies targeting hemagglutinin protein that sticks out of the surface of the virus - like a lollipop.  Even though there are 18 types of influenza A, there are only two versions of hemagglutinin. The researchers, led by Dr Michael Worobey, classed them as "blue" and "orange" lollipops. They said people born before the late 1960s were exposed to "blue lollipop" flu viruses - H1 or H2 - as children. In later life they rarely fell ill from another "blue lollipop" flu - H5N1 bird flu, but they died from "orange" H7N9. Those born in the late 1960s and exposed to "orange lollipop" flu - H3 - have the opposite pattern.  His team looked at cases of H5N1 and H7N9 - two kinds of bird flu which have affected hundreds of people, but have not developed into pandemics. The researchers found a 75% protection rate against severe disease and 80% protection rate against death if patients had been exposed to a virus with the same protein version when they were children.  DrWorobey said the finding could explain the unusual effect of the 1918 "Spanish flu" pandemic, which was more deadly among young adults. "Those young adults were killed by an H1 virus and from blood analysed many decades later there is a pretty strong indication that those individuals had been exposed to a mismatched H3 as children and were therefore not protected against H1. The fact that we are seeing exactly the same pattern with current H5N1 and H7N9 cases suggests that the same fundamental processes may govern both the historic 1918 pandemic and today's contenders for the next big flu pandemic."  Jonathan Ball, professor of University of Nottingham, said, "This is a really neat piece of work and provides a reason why human populations have been sensitive to different strains of bird influenza over the past 100 years or so. The findings are based on analysis of patient records and they certainly need further proof in the laboratory, but nonetheless the results are pretty amazing and inspiring."