new explanation for original antigenic sin

What is it about?

About 70 years ago, the eminent American medical doctor and epidemiologist Thomas Francis Jr observed a puzzling phenomenon called original antigenic sin, which compromised people's immune responses to influenza. For many years, scientists have sought to explain this puzzle. This paper introduces a new theory that explains both the puzzle and recent intriguing experimental data showing that original antigenic sin can be alleviated by vaccine adjuvants. This theory opens up new opportunities to prevent original antigenic sin from compromising people's immune responses.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This is the first theory that explains mechanistically both original antigenic sin and its alleviation by adjuvants.