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Clinical trials of human avian influenza H5N1 vaccines in Japan (2008) [ECDC Health Content]
PUBLIC HEALTH DEVELOPMENT ? AVIAN INFLUENZA ? VACCINATION - Clinical trials of human avian influenza H5N1 vaccines in Japan (2008)
Description:
Japan is one of the countries in the world that has a policy of offering human avian influenza A(H5N1) vaccines to certain groups of staff.
This is especially intended for use among people the authorities consider at special risk of exposure to avian influenza or to be especially important: that is .
* Persons who work preventing transmission and minimizing impact such as health care workers (HCWs) in medical establishments that would care for people with suspected avian influenza in humans, veterinarians and animal quarantine officers
* Persons whose activities relate to life, health, safety and relief including government decision makers engaged in influenza control, law makers, assembly members, (local) government officials
* other health and social care staff, health care workers, welfare services, pharmacists, etc.
* Essential workers whose works related to safety, security and relief and maintaining essential services including firefighters, police officers, those responsible for the water supplies, production and distribution of electricity.
So that these people could be immunised Japan created a stockpile of human avian influenza A(H5N1) vaccines in 2007 and enlarged this in 2008.
Some of these vaccines may expire soon.
To determine immunogenicity (how good an immune response) and safety the Japanese authorities have started some trials among volunteers.
The first is a so-called called ?prime-boost? study.
That is seeing how good a serological response can be achieved following earlier immunisation with one vaccine and then applying another somewhat different vaccine.
They have also started a somewhat larger clinical safety study.
These trials were referred to by the Government of Japan in Japanese Language press releases.
ECDC Comment (27/10/08):
There have been earlier prime-boost studies notably that showing that people immunised with A(H5N1) vaccines some years back in the 1990s showed good responses to other somewhat different A(H5N1) vaccines given eyars later [1,2].
The results of the safety are expected in 2009 and these will provide important information on whether the levels of reactions to vaccines that occur
1. Goji NA, Nolan C, Hill H, Wolff M, Noah DL, Williams TB, Rowe T, Treanor JJ. Immune responses of healthy subjects to a single dose of intramuscular inactivated influenza A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1) vaccine after priming with an antigenic variant. J Infect Dis. 2008;198(5):635-41.
2. Stephenson I, Nicholson KG, Hoschler K, Zambon MC, Hancock K, DeVos J, Katz JM, Praus M, Banzhoff A. Antigenically distinct MF59-adjuvanted vaccine to boost immunity to H5N1. N Engl J Med. 2008;359(15):1631-3.
Comment to influenza@ecdc.europa.eu
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<cite cite="http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/health_content/phdev/081127_ph.aspx">ECDC Health Content</cite>
Description:
Japan is one of the countries in the world that has a policy of offering human avian influenza A(H5N1) vaccines to certain groups of staff.
This is especially intended for use among people the authorities consider at special risk of exposure to avian influenza or to be especially important: that is .
* Persons who work preventing transmission and minimizing impact such as health care workers (HCWs) in medical establishments that would care for people with suspected avian influenza in humans, veterinarians and animal quarantine officers
* Persons whose activities relate to life, health, safety and relief including government decision makers engaged in influenza control, law makers, assembly members, (local) government officials
* other health and social care staff, health care workers, welfare services, pharmacists, etc.
* Essential workers whose works related to safety, security and relief and maintaining essential services including firefighters, police officers, those responsible for the water supplies, production and distribution of electricity.
So that these people could be immunised Japan created a stockpile of human avian influenza A(H5N1) vaccines in 2007 and enlarged this in 2008.
Some of these vaccines may expire soon.
To determine immunogenicity (how good an immune response) and safety the Japanese authorities have started some trials among volunteers.
The first is a so-called called ?prime-boost? study.
That is seeing how good a serological response can be achieved following earlier immunisation with one vaccine and then applying another somewhat different vaccine.
They have also started a somewhat larger clinical safety study.
These trials were referred to by the Government of Japan in Japanese Language press releases.
ECDC Comment (27/10/08):
There have been earlier prime-boost studies notably that showing that people immunised with A(H5N1) vaccines some years back in the 1990s showed good responses to other somewhat different A(H5N1) vaccines given eyars later [1,2].
The results of the safety are expected in 2009 and these will provide important information on whether the levels of reactions to vaccines that occur
1. Goji NA, Nolan C, Hill H, Wolff M, Noah DL, Williams TB, Rowe T, Treanor JJ. Immune responses of healthy subjects to a single dose of intramuscular inactivated influenza A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1) vaccine after priming with an antigenic variant. J Infect Dis. 2008;198(5):635-41.
2. Stephenson I, Nicholson KG, Hoschler K, Zambon MC, Hancock K, DeVos J, Katz JM, Praus M, Banzhoff A. Antigenically distinct MF59-adjuvanted vaccine to boost immunity to H5N1. N Engl J Med. 2008;359(15):1631-3.
Comment to influenza@ecdc.europa.eu
-