Influenza H1N1Previous infections of bird probably provide some immunity from the current pandemic of H1N1 influenza virus, according to a study by the Institute of Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla United States published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences’ (PNAS).

These findings may help alleviate some concerns that the H1N1 virus is so different varieties of seasonal flu that no prior population immunity.

The scientists, led by Bjoern Peters, used the database to compare what Epitope immunity markers of H1N1 influenza virus could be similar to the surface markers of previous seasonal flu strains.

The authors found that the defense system of human body recognized approximately 17 percent of the markers it shares with recent varieties of seasonal flu on the surface of the H1N1 virus.

Other immune cells called T cells, which can also detect virus-infected cells, recognized the 69 percent of the markers in the H1N1 virus.

According to the researchers say, such high recognition rates suggest that a pre-existing immunity in humans and animals could provide a barrier against pandemic varieties and help soften the impact of the spread of infection.

However, the authors conclude that although this may ‘help’ immune continuing need to contain unique markers carrying the H1N1 flu virus on its surface.