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Yes it is true. Influenza and HIV viruses’ mutate very quickly such that one year’s vaccine may not work next year, hence why health professionals advocate flu

Yes it is true. Influenza and HIV viruses’ mutate very quickly such that one year’s vaccine may not work next year, hence why health professionals advocate flu shot every year. Most vaccinations will last for life time though. CDC and WHO analyze virus samples each year to determine virus mutation and antiviral resistance. Though it is cruical to note that although vaccine is effective, immunity may not developed for a small percentage of population. But please don’t risk your life - I highly suggest go for vaccination. Hong Kong has the worst outbreak this year as the public has low awareness of flu shot, forcing primary school students and below to go on holiday early. Hong Kong’s neighbor, Macu, with high population density, has the highest vaccination participation - has much fewer cases. Lastly, please make sure you are getting quardrivalent flu vaccine (aka four-flu shot) which covers all four types of flu; some years ago flu vaccines only cover three types (it was a “gambling game”). In the US you shouldn’t have to worry, but double check; outside of the Us please triple check... https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/change.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/change.htm

jimnotgym 9y ago
Bu this article is not about vaccine, it is about an anti-viral! Chalk and cheese
- yeukhon 9y ago
  > This process works as follows: a person infected with a particular flu virus develops antibody against that virus. As antigenic changes accumulate, the antibodies created against the older viruses no longer recognize the “newer” virus, and the person can get sick again. Genetic changes that result in a virus with different antigenic properties is the main reason why people can get the flu more than one time. This is also why the flu vaccine composition must be reviewed each year, and updated as needed to keep up with evolving viruses.
  - jimnotgym 9y ago
    Yes that is how a vaccine works. This new drug is not a vaccine it is an anti-viral. It does not rely on immunity so it would be pointless to extrapolate your knowledge of vaccines to anti-virals. There is no information in the article to suggest that influenza is likely to be able to use a similar mutation strategy to become resistant to this anti-viral which has an entirely different method of operation. If you would like to post a source about anti-viral immunity then I would be interested to read it, but sources about vaccines are irrelevant.
    - yeukhon 9y ago
      https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/vaccine-selection.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/vaccine-selection.htm The information I gave was relevant and explained the correlation. But if you are not convinced, read above. Vaccine is one common way for an animal (including humans) to become immune to a targeted virus. That’s the purpose of receiving a vaccine, otherwise you would have to catch a real flu (of all classification) in order to develop immunity. As virus changes its structures, our immune system may not be able to recongize the new virus, thus we get sick, and therefore pharmaceutical companies have to develop a new vaccine. If flu virus doesn’t mutate, we would only have one type and one shot would be suffice for life time. I hope this helps.
otakucode 9y ago
The capsid that covers the harmful part of the flu virus mutates and is why immunity does not transfer from year to year or strain to strain. The capsid is only the outermost part of the viral particle, however. Anything which targets the inner part would be far more effective. Researchers have been working on getting to that part and are finally starting to get close. HIV is a whole different ball of wax from flu, though, and I wouldn't discuss them in the same way.
- yeukhon 9y ago
  I agree HIV is a whole different ball game, but I thought it was a good (common) analogy. But you are right.
DrScump 9y ago
which covers all four types of flu Um, no. There are 4 categories of flu (influenzavirus A/B/C/D), but there are almost 200 possible unique HN strain combinations of type A alone (not all of which affect humans). Maybe FI6 will direct us to a universal vaccine against all type A variants, but we're not nearly there yet.

jimnotgym 9y ago

Bu this article is not about vaccine, it is about an anti-viral! Chalk and cheese

yeukhon 9y ago
> This process works as follows: a person infected with a particular flu virus develops antibody against that virus. As antigenic changes accumulate, the antibodies created against the older viruses no longer recognize the “newer” virus, and the person can get sick again. Genetic changes that result in a virus with different antigenic properties is the main reason why people can get the flu more than one time. This is also why the flu vaccine composition must be reviewed each year, and updated as needed to keep up with evolving viruses.
- jimnotgym 9y ago
  Yes that is how a vaccine works. This new drug is not a vaccine it is an anti-viral. It does not rely on immunity so it would be pointless to extrapolate your knowledge of vaccines to anti-virals. There is no information in the article to suggest that influenza is likely to be able to use a similar mutation strategy to become resistant to this anti-viral which has an entirely different method of operation. If you would like to post a source about anti-viral immunity then I would be interested to read it, but sources about vaccines are irrelevant.
  - yeukhon 9y ago
    https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/vaccine-selection.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/vaccine-selection.htm The information I gave was relevant and explained the correlation. But if you are not convinced, read above. Vaccine is one common way for an animal (including humans) to become immune to a targeted virus. That’s the purpose of receiving a vaccine, otherwise you would have to catch a real flu (of all classification) in order to develop immunity. As virus changes its structures, our immune system may not be able to recongize the new virus, thus we get sick, and therefore pharmaceutical companies have to develop a new vaccine. If flu virus doesn’t mutate, we would only have one type and one shot would be suffice for life time. I hope this helps.

otakucode 9y ago

The capsid that covers the harmful part of the flu virus mutates and is why immunity does not transfer from year to year or strain to strain. The capsid is only the outermost part of the viral particle, however. Anything which targets the inner part would be far more effective. Researchers have been working on getting to that part and are finally starting to get close. HIV is a whole different ball of wax from flu, though, and I wouldn't discuss them in the same way.

yeukhon 9y ago
I agree HIV is a whole different ball game, but I thought it was a good (common) analogy. But you are right.

DrScump 9y ago

which covers all four types of flu Um, no. There are 4 categories of flu (influenzavirus A/B/C/D), but there are almost 200 possible unique HN strain combinations of type A alone (not all of which affect humans). Maybe FI6 will direct us to a universal vaccine against all type A variants, but we're not nearly there yet.