• FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
  • We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.

Vaccine . Effectiveness of inactivated and live-attenuated influenza vaccines in children during the 2025-2026 influenza season with genetically dis

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Vaccine


. 2026 Jun 25:88:128869.
doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.128869. Online ahead of print.
Effectiveness of inactivated and live-attenuated influenza vaccines in children during the 2025-2026 influenza season with genetically distinct influenza A and B viruses

Masayoshi Shinjoh[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Munehiro Furuichi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ryunosuke Sugimoto[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Chiharu Kawakami[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kiyomi Abe[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Chieko Kusano[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Gembu Otsubo[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Yuki Tsumura[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Maika Tezuka[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Atsushi Narabayashi[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Akinobu Kamei[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Naonori Maeda[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Akimichi Shibata[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Mitsuhiro Nishida[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Makoto Yoshida[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Kenichiro Tsunematsu[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Go Yamada[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Ryo Itaki[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Michiko Chiga[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Yoshio Yamaguchi[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Hiroyuki Fukushima[SUP] 18 [/SUP], Mizuki Yaginuma[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Akifumi Tokita[SUP] 19 [/SUP], Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto[SUP] 20 [/SUP], Satoshi Narumi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yoshihiro Kawaoka[SUP] 21 [/SUP], Norio Sugaya[SUP] 22 [/SUP]; Keio Pediatric Influenza Research Group


Affiliations
Abstract

As part of ongoing surveillance since the 2013/14 season, we evaluated influenza vaccine performance among children in Japan during the 2025/26 season, when subclade K A(H3N2) predominated. A test-negative design was applied to hospitalized febrile children who underwent outpatient influenza testing at 16 hospitals. Among 1033 participants, vaccine uptake among test-negative controls was 38% (274/723) for inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and 5% (35/723) for live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). Adjusted VE against influenza A was estimated at 43% (95% CI: 15-62) for IIV (N = 922) and 81% (95% CI: 15-96) for LAIV (N = 640), although the number of LAIV recipients was relatively small. No significant protection was observed against influenza B. These findings indicate that both vaccines remained effective against influenza A, despite circulation of genetically distinct influenza A viruses. Continued surveillance is warranted to further clarify comparative effectiveness between vaccine types as LAIV uptake increases.

Keywords: Children; Effectiveness; Inactivated vaccine; Influenza; Influenza vaccine; Live vaccine; Test-negative design; subclade K; vaccine coverage.

 
Back
Top