Vaccination-induced HI antibody to influenza A(H1N1) viruses in poorly primed adults under circumstances of low antigenic drift

Abstract

In Autumn 1990, trivalent split influenza virus vaccine containing A/Taiwan/1/86(H1N1) was used to immunize healthy female employees ( n = 104). The 11–12 amino acid differences in the HA1 domain of virus haemagglutinin between A/Taiwan/1/86 and representative epidemic H1N1 strains in Finland in 1991 did not result in lowered haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibody responses to the latter viruses. In fact, higher prevaccination, postvaccination and postepidemic antibody titres were recorded against the new field strains than against the vaccine virus; the highest being against field strains grown exclusively in MDCK cell cultures. This pattern is primarily explained by differences in the sensitivity of the viruses for detecting HI antibodies. Postvaccination protection rates of 98–100% for the MDCK-grown avid viruses were noted in subjects who exhibited prevaccination antibody. Lower protection rates were recorded in initially seronegative subjects, the lowest (54–57%) being among older people, i.e. among vaccinees born in 1930–1955 ( p < 0.001). Moreover, conspicuous decreases in protection rates were detected during the following epidemic season in the initially seronegative subjects. Diagnostic findings during outbreaks due to H1N1 subtype viruses also support the impression that many middle-aged people are poorly primed. Thus, vaccination with two doses may be worth considering when such people join the high-risk group and receive influenza vaccine for the first time.