AP: 1918-19 epidemic survivors may be key on bird flu

An article distributed by the Associated Press on people who survived the Spanish flu in 1918 and now are being asked to give blood to researchers who, with the threat of bird flu looming, are hoping to develop more effective vaccines quotes Timothy Murphy, professor of medicine and microbiology, who said, "The idea of identifying antibodies or immune responses from people who have recovered from the Spanish flu of 1918-19 in clever in a way, because that's the kind of immune response that we would want to reproduce with vaccines that we would develop now for the [avian influenza] virus. In a way, this is looking at a success. It's looking at an immune response that effectively, apparently, allowed a person to survive." The article appeared in a half-dozen outlets, including the Chicago Tribune. Go to article.