"The ultimate goal of our collaboration is to increase our ability to predict the evolution of influenza viruses," said Derek Smith of Britain's Cambridge University.

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"The study is one step along that path and in particular highlights the importance of ongoing collaborations and surveillance in East and Southeast Asia, and expanding these collaboration in the future," he added.

The insight could help in identifying which strains of the virus will be most virulent in a given season, a step which could help manufacturers make a more effective vaccine. They note that new strains of a virus often appear after a vaccine has already been produced.

Seasonal flu hits between five and percent of the world's population every year, causing three to five million serious cases and between 250 000 and 500 000 deaths every year depending on the seriousness of the strain. The vaccine effectively protects about 300 million people a year. – (Sapa)

April 2008

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