A study of acute respiratory disease in the community of Port Chalmers. III. Efficacy of influenza virus subunit vaccines in 1973, 1974 and 1975

• Published in: New Zealand medical journal Vol. 92; no. 668; p. 230
• Main Authors: Jennings, L C, MacDiarmid, R D, Miles, J A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand 24-09-1980
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Influenza Vaccines; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - immunology; Influenza, Human - prevention & control; Middle Aged; New Zealand; Vaccination; New Zealand
• ISSN: 0028-8446

An evaluation of the efficacy of influenza virus subunit vaccine was undertaken during a study of acute respiratory disease in the semi-isolated community of Port Chalmers, New Zealand. In 1973, the administration of a vaccine containing A/England/42/72(H3N2) and B/Roma/1/67 stains was found to produce HI antibody titres greater than or equal to 1:40 to the A and B components in 50 percent of 32 subjects. There was no significant NI antibody response to the A component. During an epidemic of A/Port Chalmers/I/73(H3N2) occurring three to four months after vaccination, vaccinees were not protected from clinical infection. Sixty and ninety-nine subjects received vaccine containing A/Port Chalmers/1/73 and B/Hong Kong/8/73 in 1974 and 1975 respectively. In 1974 all 60 subjects received a second dose of vaccine which was shown to have little effect on the distribution of HI antibody titres. The benefits of annual vaccination in this general practice are unclear.