Vaccination with live attenuated influenza virus at the Osaka University Hospital in 1960

Abstract

During an influenza outbreak, mass nasal vaccination was carried out using a living influenza A2 vaccine at the Osaka University Hospital in March, 1960. 224 persons were involved.Vaccine used was infected chorioallantoic fluid two days after inoculation with Okuda strain of 91st, 97th and 142nd egg passage and Kinugasa strain of 118th egg passage. The vaccine contained 109-109⋅5 EID50 and 4096 HAU per milliliter. Vaccination was carried out by inhalation method using a nebulizer and an air compressor. An outlet of the nebulizer was kept 1-2cm apart from the nostrils and vaccine was inhaled for 10 seconds. The vaccine used for one person was 0.01-0.06ml.78 paired sera were tested and 4 fold or more HI (hemagglutination inhibitting) antibody rise was observed in 83% of them and geometrical mean of antibody rise was 9.4 fold. The result obtained were rather uniform with the various vaccine materials employed.CE (complement fixing) antibody response was also examined and two fold or more rise in anti-V titer was observed in 71.4% of 77 persons and in anti-S titer in 44.2% of them. Rise in anti-V and anti-S titer was roughly proportionate and in the majority of cases rise in anti-V titer exceeded anti-S. Only a few showed 4 fold or more rise in anti-V titer without rise in anti-S titer. This situation is the reverse to that encountered after subcutaneous injection of inactivated vaccine. Some showed HI antibody response without CF antibody rise.Clinical reactions were mainly general signs such as headache, malaise, lassitude and fever and were observed in 23.4% of 214 persons. Fever higher than 38°C was observed in 2.8% of them and lasted for 24 hours or less except one who might have already been infected with epidemic influenza. Other symptoms were extremely mild and lasted for less than 12 hours in most cases. These reactions were observed dominantly in those with low initial HI antibody titer. CF antibody titer before vaccination also seems to be related to clinical reactions. HI antibody response was observed in lower percentage in the group with clinical reactions than in the group without.The vaccination with living virus seems to have prophylactic effect against influenza.