Editor's Summary
10 July 2008
Flu fighting
The 'official' influenza vaccine failed this year. Each year the World Health Organization selects strains for the vaccine based on epidemiological data. Most of the time it works, but what can be done to prevent future failures? Steven Salzberg thinks the answer lies in better tracking of virus mutations. This means that some research groups need to change their ways. Instead of guarding their data, the priority should be the rapid dissemination of genome sequence data on all isolates — human and avian. More transparency is one of the recommendations made by Yamada et al. in a checklist on how we should prepare for the next influenza pandemic. Other suggestions include stockpiling standard (inter-pandemic) flu vaccine, a special pricing model for poor countries, and improved surveillance mechanisms. For more on this week's Commentaries, visit the podcast page.
Commentary: The contents of the syringe
The influenza vaccine failed this winter. Steven Salzberg suggests that future success relies on sharing data more widely and making the virus strain selection process more transparent.
doi:10.1038/454160a
Commentary: Ready for avian flu?
Committing to a vaccine stockpile is just the beginning. Tadataka Yamada, Alice Dautry and Mark Walport offer a roadmap for heading off a global avian influenza catastrophe.
doi:10.1038/454162a
Editorial: The long war against flu
doi:10.1038/454137a
