MUCOSAL VACCINATION PROTECTS MICE AGAINST INFLUENZA A HETEROSUBTYPIC CHALLENGE

Authors: Tumpey, Terrence; CLEMENTS,, JOHN - TULANE UNIV MEDICAL CTR; KATZ,, JACQUELINE - CENTERS FOR DISEASE CTRL

Submitted to: Options for the Control of Influenza Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/9/2001
Publication Date: 12/19/2001
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: In 1997 in Hong Kong, 18 human cases of respiratory illness were caused by an avian influenza A H5N1 virus. Although avian influenza viruses had not previously been known to cause respiratory illness in humans, the H5N1 viruses caused severe illness and death, primarily in individuals greater than twelve years of age. The purpose of this research was to design a vaccine strategy that would be cross-reactive to multiple subtypes of Influenza A and could be an important first line of prevention against a novel subtype, allowing time for the development of a pandemic strain-specific vaccine. Mice that received mucosal immunizations of the H3N2 vaccine were completely protected against lethal challenge with a highly pathogenic human 5N1 virus. These results suggest a strategy of mucosal vaccination that stimulates cross-protection against multiple influenza subtypes, including viruses with pandemic potential.

Technical Abstract: The introduction of an influenza A virus possessing a novel hemagglutinin into an immunologically naive human population has the potential to cause the next influenza pandemic. The recent emergence of avian H5 and H9 influenza subtypes into the human population has renewed the search for a vaccine strategy that induces broadly cross-reactive or heterosubtypic immunity, with the potential to protect individuals against multiple subtypes of influenza A virus.