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Editor, Senior Moderator
Saint Louis U research tackles problem of vaccine not matching virus
Vaccines likely would work better in protecting children from flu if they included both strains of influenza B instead of just one, Saint Louis University research has found.
"Adding a second influenza B virus strain to the seasonal influenza vaccine would take some of the guesswork out of strain selection and help improve the vaccine's ability to prevent influenza," said Robert Belshe, M.D., lead investigator and director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Saint Louis University.
"Since in five of the last 10 years, the influenza B component in the vaccine has been the incorrect one, this seems like an obvious advance to me."
Every spring, scientists predict which strain of influenza will be circulating in the community the following fall. Historically, they choose two different subtypes of influenza A and one of influenza B. When they choose the wrong strain of influenza B, the influenza vaccine is less effective in preventing the disease.
Research findings in the March issue of Vaccine highlight the importance of adding both lines of influenza B into the vaccine to better protect against the flu.
The research team examined how well current vaccines protect against influenza B by looking at the immune response of ferrets that were given FluMist, a live attenuated influenza vaccine manufactured by MedImmune, and at efficacy studies in children who received traditional flu shots or FluMist.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20...s-strains-can-improve-influenza-vaccines.aspx
Vaccines likely would work better in protecting children from flu if they included both strains of influenza B instead of just one, Saint Louis University research has found.
"Adding a second influenza B virus strain to the seasonal influenza vaccine would take some of the guesswork out of strain selection and help improve the vaccine's ability to prevent influenza," said Robert Belshe, M.D., lead investigator and director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Saint Louis University.
"Since in five of the last 10 years, the influenza B component in the vaccine has been the incorrect one, this seems like an obvious advance to me."
Every spring, scientists predict which strain of influenza will be circulating in the community the following fall. Historically, they choose two different subtypes of influenza A and one of influenza B. When they choose the wrong strain of influenza B, the influenza vaccine is less effective in preventing the disease.
Research findings in the March issue of Vaccine highlight the importance of adding both lines of influenza B into the vaccine to better protect against the flu.
The research team examined how well current vaccines protect against influenza B by looking at the immune response of ferrets that were given FluMist, a live attenuated influenza vaccine manufactured by MedImmune, and at efficacy studies in children who received traditional flu shots or FluMist.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20...s-strains-can-improve-influenza-vaccines.aspx