Scientists are developing a new weapon to help determine in advance which vaccines the World Health Organization (WHO) will be able to use against influenza today, a type of artificial intelligence that can examine and tell which strains of the virus are circulating in large numbers each year.
Innovation
Based on a database study of virus samples present in the world since 1980, scientists have been able to predict which variants will continue to evolve.
Scientists and influenza viruses (Photo: reproductive/El Comercio)
study
Iranian Maryam Hayati, a computer scientist at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver (Canada), explains how her team was able to succeed in the test this week in the journal Science Advances.
By analyzing two pieces of data collected through 2020, Hayati and his team were able to “predict” the genetic signatures of strains circulating in 2021. With the help of algorithms that study the “family tree” of pathogens, we scientists will be able to reconstruct the World Health Organization’s decisions on the use of specific vaccines.
The data used to search for virus samples was obtained in the northern hemisphere, so the researchers believe the algorithm may therefore be limited to analyzing northern influenza epidemics. Second, there is little material for AI work relevant to the Southern Hemisphere, which limits the generation of methods such as those used for Southern Hemisphere influenza work.
Ainda, the second Hayati, the transmission patterns of influenza viruses have changed in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic, or prevention has become more complex, and this change may affect the overall success of the investigation in some way – or said more research is needed.
next future
Researchers on the project say that even in its initial stages, research into the use of artificial intelligence can be a tool to help make quick decisions in the event of a possible epidemic.
Featured photo: Influenza virus (Reprodução/Journal Med)