June 24 (Reuters) - Researchers have identified antibodies that could pave the way for a vaccine or treatment for West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne illness that can cause severe inflammation of the brain and may lead to death.

A report published in the journal Immunity showed that researchers, while studying blood samples from people who had recovered from the disease, detected antibodies that could open the door to a new treatment for the virus.

When the antibodies were replicated in the laboratory, it was found that one of them, called W010, recognizes and attacks a protein on the virus's envelope, which is the protein that helps the virus attach to and infect host cells.

The antibody (W010) showed the ability to protect mice whether it was used before exposure to West Nile virus or even five days after.

The second antibody (W014) proved effective not only against West Nile virus, but also against similar viruses, including Japanese encephalitis virus and Osuto virus.

The researchers said that identifying these human antibodies, along with monitoring the vulnerable sites they target on viruses, would pave the way for "the development of medical tools against serious diseases... that still lack adequate medical solutions globally."