Flu science points to another culprit when vaccines fail — us

Flu science points to another culprit when vaccines fail — us

Inside STAT: Flu science points to another culprit when vaccines fail — us

(ALEX HOGAN / STAT)

If you’ve ever gotten a flu shot and then gone on to get the flu, your doctor might have told you the problem could be the flu vaccine. Experts know it isn’t perfect. But public health researchers are starting to point to another culprit: us. A growing body of evidence suggests our immune systems aren’t following the instructions that the flu vaccine tries to give them. That’s because we’re all carrying a unique set of flu baggage — known as our imprint — that shapes how our immune systems respond to vaccines and infections. STAT’s Helen Branswell has the story here.