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Vaccine production capacity for seasonal and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza.

Vaccine. 2009 Aug 20;27(38):5184-6

Authors: Collin N, de Radiguès X,

The first influenza pandemic of the 21st century, due to a new strain of A(H1N1) virus, was declared on 11 June 2009 by the Director-General of the World Health Organization. Fortunately, the international community, including influenza vaccine manufacturers, has been increasing its preparedness for such an event, triggered by the need to stem the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus over recent years. Today, the development of a pandemic influenza vaccine in the fastest possible time is a global priority. However, two major issues need to be taken into consideration: how long will it take to produce sufficient pandemic vaccine doses to immunize the global population at risk, including poor populations that have no resources to purchase the vaccine; and how will pandemic vaccine production affect availability of trivalent vaccine for the forthcoming 2009-2010 influenza season. To address these questions, WHO carried out a survey in May 2009 among influenza vaccine manufacturers on their planned seasonal and pandemic production with a view to developing recommendations on the distribution and use of pandemic influenza vaccine.

PMID: 19563891 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Clinical effectiveness of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine against pneumonia in middle-aged and older adults: a matched case-control study.

Vaccine. 2009 Mar 4;27(10):1504-10

Authors: Vila-Corcoles A, Salsench E, Rodriguez-Blanco T, Ochoa-Gondar O, de Diego C, Valdivieso A, Hospital I, Gomez-Bertomeu F, Raga X

The 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine is currently recommended in elderly and high-risk adults. Its efficacy against invasive pneumococcal disease has been demonstrated, but its effectiveness in preventing pneumonia remains uncertain. This study assessed the clinical effectiveness of vaccination against pneumonia among middle-aged and older adults. We conducted a population-based case-control study including 304 case patients over 50 years old with radiographically confirmed pneumococcal pneumonia (94 bacteremic and 210 nonbacteremic cases) and 608 outpatient control subjects (matched by primary care centre, age, sex and risk stratum). Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for vaccination were calculated using conditional logistic regression, controlling for underlying conditions. Vaccine effectiveness against all pneumococcal pneumonia was 48% (OR: 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.37-0.73). Vaccination was effective against bacteremic cases (OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.27-0.66) as well as nonbacteremic cases (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.39-0.86). Vaccine effectiveness was highest against bacteremic infections caused by vaccine types (OR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.09-0.66). These findings confirm the effectiveness of the vaccine against invasive disease, but they also support the benefit of vaccination in preventing nonbacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia.

PMID: 19171174 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Animal influenza epidemiology.

Vaccine. 2008 Sep 12;26 Suppl 4:D67-9

Authors: Ducatez MF, Webster RG, Webby RJ

Influenza A viruses exist within their natural host, aquatic birds, in a number of antigenic subtypes. Only a few of these subtypes have successfully crossed into other avian and mammalian hosts. This brief review will focus on just three examples of viruses that have successfully passed between species; avian H5NI1 and H9N2 viruses and H3N2 viruses which have transmitted from aquatic birds to humans and then to swine. Although there are a number of other subtypes that have also transmitted successfully between species, these three selected examples have spread and evolved in different ways, exemplifying the complexity of influenza A virus epidemiology.

PMID: 19230163 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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