Early results: In children, 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine works like seasonal flu vaccine

Written By: NIAID Office of Communications
Date Published: September 21, 2009 | View more articles in:

Flu vaccineEarly results from a trial testing a 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in children look promising, according to the trial sponsor, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Preliminary analysis of blood samples from a small group of trial participants shows that a single 15-microgram dose of a non-adjuvanted 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine – the same dose that is in the seasonal flu vaccine – generates an immune response that is expected to be protective against 2009 H1N1 influenza virus in the majority of 10- to 17- year-olds eight to 10 days following vaccination. These results are similar to those recently reported in clinical trials of healthy adults. Younger children generally had a less robust early response to the vaccine.

"This is very encouraging news," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "As we had hoped, responses to the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine are very similar to what we see with routinely used seasonal influenza vaccines made in the same way. It seems likely that the H1N1 flu vaccine will require just one 15-microgram dose for children 10 to 17 years of age. The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus is causing widespread infections among children, so these are welcome results."

The ongoing NIAID-sponsored trial began in mid-August at five sites nationwide. The trial is assessing the safety and immune responses to one and two doses of either 15 micrograms or 30 micrograms of vaccine. Data from the trial is being compared for three age groups: children 6 months to 35 months old; 3 to 9 years old; and 10 to 17 years old.

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Comments

These news are really encouraging for sure. At last we will be able to fight with this disastrous illness. Swine flu had taken many innocent lives so it was very important to find the vaccine against it. Moreover it is awesome that the dose won't be too big and harmful for our children. If I have understood it properly, now our children will have to take these vaccinations together with stomach virus, simple flu and other ones? It would be perfect. I will be able to feel calm at last, because swine flu had scared me a lot for sure. Let's hope that we won't face such pandemic flu's in the nearest future. Thanks for the useful article and please keep writing interesting ones in the future too.

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