The invention relates to composite antigens comprising a peptide with contiguous amino acid sequence derived from a plurality of antigenic epitopes of one or more pathogens that induces an immune response in a mammal that is protective against infection by the one or more pathogens. In addition, the invention relates to vaccines comprising composite antigens and to method for treating and preventing an infection.

New influenza donor strains for the production of reassortant influenza A viruses are provided.

The invention relates to generic methods for the detection and quantification of influenza viruses. These may uses a reverse transcription (RT-PCR) real time (q-PCR) assay which amplifies a conserved region within influenza A or B strains. The assays allow the quantification of influenza virus RNA molecules or whole virus particles, irrespective of the particular virus strain (e.g. human, avian, swine flu). The methods are particularly applicable as diagnostic assays or in the monitoring of vaccine production processes.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods related to mutant viruses, and in particular, mutant influenza viruses. The mutant viruses disclosed herein include a mutant BM2 sequence, and are useful in immunogenic compositions, e.g., as vaccines. Also disclosed herein are methods, compositions and cells for propagating the viral mutants, and methods, devices and compositions related to vaccination.

Disclosed is a universal influenza vaccine composition and corresponding methods comprising at least one attenuated live-attenuated influenza vaccine. The vaccine composition can exhibit a cross-protective effect against a wide range of influenza viruses and can ensure a strong protection efficacy, a wide range of protection, and safety. In addition, a vaccination method of heterologous live vaccines of the present invention induces various immunological effects so that cross-immunogenicity and cross-protective ability are remarkably increased, and thus is expected to be usefully utilized as a universal influenza prevention method. A person who has a basal immunity through infection with an influenza virus or vaccination with an influenza vaccine can be regarded as being in a state where primary vaccination has already been performed, single vaccination with a live vaccine induces an enhanced cross-immune response, and thus it is possible to expect a wide range of protective effects against various viruses.

The present invention includes a live attenuated virus and methods of making the same comprising an isolated virus comprising a viral genome that expresses one or more viral antigens; and one or more exogenous species-specific microRNAs inserted into the viral genome and expressed thereby, wherein the species-specific microRNAs are ubiquitously expressed in a viral target species cell but not in a viral propagation cell.

The invention provides a composition useful to prepare influenza viruses, e.g., in the absence of helper virus, using vectors which include tandem transcription cassettes containing PolI and/or PolII promoters.

An influenza vaccine comprising an influenza hemagglutinin-containing antigen which is subjected to a treatment at a suitable low pH or other suitable conditions to obtain a suitable degree of loss of potency, and the method of making it are provided. The vaccine not only induces an increased cross-reactive immune response and cross protection, but can also induce a strain-specific immune response and protection like current inactivated vaccines. A method of administering influenza vaccines is also provided to induce an increased cross-reactive immune response and cross protection, which is especially suitable for use in emergency situations such as a pandemic.

New influenza donor strains for the production of reassortant influenza A viruses are provided.

The invention relates to composite antigens comprising a peptide with contiguous amino acid sequence derived from a plurality of antigenic epitopes of one or more pathogens that induces an immune response in a mammal that is protective against infection by the one or more pathogens. In addition, the invention relates to vaccines comprising composite antigens and to method for treating and preventing an infection.