ABSTRACT
This chapter examines a structural basis for the continual emergence of new influenza strains, and the reasons current vaccines against influenza fail to protect against all strains of influenza. It discusses the discovery of the active site of influenza neuraminidase and the exploitation of its structural conservation in terms of the design of potent neuraminidase inhibitors. The chapter also examines the potential therapeutic use of these inhibitors as antiviral drugs against influenza virus infection. Influenza virus vaccines prepared from killed virus are used currently worldwide as the only prophylactic treatment available against the disease. Killed vaccines attempt to incorporate antigens from influenza strains that will circulate in the community during an expected outbreak, conferring immunity to viral strains that are closely related to the strains the vaccine is made from. However antigenic drift reduces the susceptibility of the virus to neutralization by antibodies raised by immunization.
