In a new study, University of Georgia researchers have found that natural immunity from previous flu infections has a significant impact on how well future influenza vaccinations work. That may mean if you're one of the unlucky estimated 1 in 5 Americans who gets the flu each year, according to the NIH, there may be an unexpected upside to your illness. It may help you battle future versions of the virus.
The research is published in the journal Vaccine . "Overall, the preexisting immunity you develop through natural infection helps to strengthen immune responses," said Ye Shen, study corresponding author and a professor in the UGA College of Public Health. "We didn't fully understand how preexisting immunity through natural infection with different influenza strains changes vaccine-elicited immune responses before this study.
Now we have a better understanding of how preexisting immunity to influenza influences immune responses to different types of vaccines." Flu shots aim to keep up with an evolving virus Each flu season, your flu shot targets certain strains of the virus. So, when scientists develop the influenza vaccine , they have to make educated guesses about which strains are most likely to be circulating ahead of time.
While plenty of research goes into developing the shot, it's never going to be right 100% of the time. The flu virus's ability to constantly evolve and develop new and more virulent strains makes it difficult to fight. "In some years, we don't have ve.
