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| SARS vaccine in experimental phase |
| CCTV.COM 2003-06-02 15:06:37 |
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Chinese medical researchers have made considerable progress in using the gene fragments of the SARS virus to develop a vaccine. The hope is that this research will prevent the virus making inroads again.
Chinese researchers have injected SARS gene fragments into experimental cells to produce a protein for a so－called "SARS genetic vaccine."
The researchers say the injected vaccines can turn the human body into a small factory for protein－antigen capable of activating the immune system to produce antibodies. The aim is to get the antibodies to contain the viral protein and damage the virus's vitality. If that happens, they can possibly limit the virus's impact on the body and maybe even stop a person becoming infected.
Chinese researchers have obtained four SARS gene fragments and have developed them into vaccines.
"We have injected the vaccines into the experimental mice and found no negative side effects. The vaccines have triggered its immune system to generate antibodies, which we expect could kill the SARS virus," said Peng Jingbian, genetic biologist of China Academy of Sciences.
Vaccines developed using gene fragments are safer and more reliable than those developed from a spent virus. That's because in some cases, the latter cannot help kill the virus, and has an adverse impact on health.
The next step is the so－called "virus attack experiment" to verify whether the antibodies generated from the vaccines can work effectively against SARS.
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Editor: Han Ling CCTV.com
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