Homologous and heterologous antibody responses to a one-year booster dose of an MF59®: Adjuvanted A/H5N1 pre-pandemic influenza vaccine in pediatric subjects

Abstract

Background: Primary immunization with two doses of MF59®-adjuvanted A/H5N1 influenza vaccine has been shown to be highly immunogenic and well tolerated in children and adolescents. Assessment of long-term antibody persistence after priming, and the effects of a one-year booster dose in children and adolescents was needed.Objectives This study assessed homologous and heterologous antibody responses to a one-year booster dose of MF59-adjuvanted A/H5N1 influenza vaccine in previously primed children.Subjects and methods: Twelve months after primary vaccination, toddlers, children and adolescents received a single booster dose of the same A/H5N1 vaccine. Paired sera were collected before and three weeks after booster vaccination. Homologous antibody responses against the A/Vietnam/1194/2004 vaccine strain were measured by hemagglutination inhibition (HI), single radial hemolysis (SRH) and microneutralization (MN) assays. Heterologous antibody responses against A/Indonesia/5/2005 and A/Anhui/1/2005 strains were assessed by MN assay only.Results: Twelve months after primary vaccination, persistent, homologous, seroprotective HI antibody titers (≥ 40) were observed in 46%, 26% and 30% of toddlers, children and adolescents; following booster vaccination, seroprotection rates increased to 99%, 98% and 91%, respectively. All toddlers and children, and 99% of adolescents achieved MN antibody titers ≥ 40. Cross-reactive A/H5N1 antibodies were detected in 94–98% of subjects after booster vaccination.Conclusions Two priming doses of MF59-adjuvanted A/H5N1 vaccine resulted in homologous and heterologous antibody responses which persisted for up to one year after immunization. A one-year booster dose was highly immunogenic, generating high homologous and cross-reactive A/H5N1 antibody titers.