Human Antibody Reveals Hidden Vulnerability in Influenza Virus | NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Human Antibody Reveals Hidden Vulnerability in Influenza Virus | NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Thursday, May 16, 2019 Human Antibody Reveals Hidden Vulnerability in Influenza Virus The ever-changing “head” of an influenza virus protein has an unexpected Achilles heel, report scientists funded by NIAID. The team discovered and characterized the structure of a naturally occurring human antibody that recognizes and disrupts a portion of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein that the virus uses to enter and infect cells.  The site was not expected to be vulnerable to such an antibody strike; the discovery could aid the quest for a universal flu vaccine.