New research sees ways of putting a cap on influenza; possibility of new drugs

European scientists have shed new light on how the influenza virus hijacks the cell production machinery of its host. Their findings could lead to the development of new drugs to combat influenza pandemics in the future. The work was supported by the European Union-funded FLUPOL project, which is financed by the EU to the tune of 1.97 million euros ($3.1 million).

One of the greatest fears among both governments and health agencies is of a devastating flu pandemic. They are worried that highly virulent strains of bird flu, like H5N1, may develop the ability to spread from human to human. As a result, new treatments and methods are being sought to halt the spread of the virus.