Can Virus Evolution be Predicted? - Applied Evolutionary Biology in Vaccine Development of the Seasonal Flu

Jiménez Ochoa, Sofía (2022) Can Virus Evolution be Predicted? - Applied Evolutionary Biology in Vaccine Development of the Seasonal Flu. Master's Thesis / Essay, Ecology and Evolution.

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Abstract

Influenza viruses causes high mortality and morbidity across the globe every year. A/H3N2, A/H1N1, B/Yamagata and B/Victoria are the subtypes that have affected human health so far, causing severe illness and leading to epidemics, and in the case of A/H3N2, even pandemics. The natural reservoir of these viruses are swine and avian species. These viruses present two main surface proteins, hemagglutinin (H or HA) and neuraminidase (N or NA). The first one is the responsible for the entrance of the virus to the host cell, and therefore, the adaptability of human immune system, making it subjective to high selective pressure. The antigenic properties of a virus may change from season to season, and the antibodies developed by an already infected host may not recognize or be efficient enough to neutralize the virus that is predominantly circulating year(s) later. The best tool developed so far in order to combat this pathogen or at least ease the spread/severity of the illness are vaccines. Nowadays, a quadrivalent vaccine is the gold standard, it contains one representative strain for each subtype. The vaccine design is a complicate process, the World Health Organization (WHO) gathers experts on the subject twice a year (one for each hemisphere) to discuss which strain would be the most representative one circulating, so that the vaccine would contain that one, and consequently the efficiency will be enhanced. However, due to technological constrains, the decision needs to be mad

Item Type:	Thesis (Master's Thesis / Essay)
Supervisor name:	Lequime, S.J.J.
Degree programme:	Ecology and Evolution
Thesis type:	Master's Thesis / Essay
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	01 Feb 2022 10:56
Last Modified:	01 Feb 2022 10:56
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/26527

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