[Avian influenza and perspectives on vaccination against pandemic influenza]

We may expect that the next influenza pandemic will affect about half the world's population within a year and that it will cause unpredictable mortality rates. In this perspective, we review the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of new pandemic influenza strains and a discussion on existing and future vaccination strategies directed towards prevention of pandemic influenza is presented. There is an urgent need to develop paninfluenza-specific vaccines and invest substantially in new technologies in order to better meet this threat.