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Survivors of flu pandemic became immune
Posted: 08.15.2008 at 12:41 PM
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(AP) -- New research has discovered that infection and natural exposure to the 1918 influenza virus made survivors immune to the disease for the remaining of their lives. Antibodies produced by cells isolated from these survivors served as an effective therapy to protect mice from the highly lethal 1918 infection.
The study entitled "Neutralizing antibodies derived from the B cells of 1918 influenza pandemic survivors," was released for advanced online publication by the journal Nature. (Embargoed until 17-Aug-2008, 13:00 ET) Nature --Mount Sinai Medical Center
(Copyright ©2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)