Scientists at the Health Protection Agency identified the genomic sequence using a sample from a British victim last Friday.
British scientists have made a crucial advance in the search for a swine flu vaccine by identifying the genetic fingerprint of the virus's European strain, media reported on Sunday.
Scientists at the Health Protection Agency identified the genomic sequence using a sample from a British victim last Friday, The Sunday Times claimed.
The HPA has passed the details to researchers at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, who are working on a vaccine for swine flu.
Wendy Barclay, Professor influenza virology at Imperial College London, described the sequencing of the European strain as "very significant". "This shows that the virus is not racing away from us - all the strains that have emerged so far are highly related," Barclay said.
"That 's good news because if we manage to produce a vaccine against one chosen strain the chances are that we will have cross-protection against all the strains," Barclay said.
"We can rest assured that a single vaccine is likely to protect all. This won't change our strategy, but it's another positive piece in the puzzle."
Within the next month the national institute hopes to develop a virus from which a vaccine can be created, but a final version is not expected to be ready for months.
As viruses are transmitted they often evolve, making it harder to develop a single vaccine.
However, virologists who have seen the genetic make-up of swine flu strains in other parts of the world are optimistic that there is little evidence that the virus is mutating as it spreads. This increases the chances of developing a single vaccine.
On Saturday night eight fresh cases of swine flu were confirmed by the Department of Health, taking the UK count for 47. Seven of these, including six children, hail from London.
The other victims is an adult based in the East Midlands.
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