Efficacy of purified influenza subunit vaccines and relation to the major antigenic determinants on the hemagglutinin molecule.
J Infect Dis, 1979/10;140(4):553-9.
Couch RB, Webster RG, Kasel JA, Cate TR
PMID: 92511
Impact factor: 7.759
Abstract
Inactivated whole-virus vaccine of influenza A/Scotland/74 (H3N2) virus containing 700 or 1,400 chick cell-agglutinating (CCA) units, a purified subunit vaccine of equivalent dosage, or placebo were studied in 186 adult volunteers. Placebo was least reactogenic, 1,400-CCA unit whole-virus vaccine was most reactogenic, and others were intermediate. Vaccines were equally antigenic, and delineation of antibody specificities revealed antibody cross-reacting with A/Hong Kong/68 (H3N2) virus in all sera. Antibody specific for A/Hong Kong/68 virus was found in 82% of sera and for A/Scotland/74 virus in 46%. When compared with volunteers given placebo, volunteers given 700 CCA units of subunit or whole-virus vaccine exhibited significant protection against infection with live A/Scotland/74 virus. Infections in vaccinees occurred only in those with low titers of antibody to A/Scotland/74 virus, and this antibody was of the cross-reacting type. Persons with moderate and high levels of antibody resisted infection regardless of the absence or presence of antibody specific for A/Scotland/74 virus. Purified subunit vaccines provide an alternative to whole-virus preparations in primed individuals. Efficacy of vaccines may be dependent on the nature of the antibody response.
MeSH terms
Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies, Viral; Antibody Specificity; Cross Reactions; Epitopes; Hemagglutinins, Viral; Humans; Influenza A virus; Influenza Vaccines; Influenza, Human; Male; Placebos; Vaccination
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