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H9N2 vaccine shows potential
A clinical trial of an avian influenza vaccine that
uses inactivated H9N2 plus an adjuvant has shown positive results at low
dosages.
An adjuvant is a substance that is added to a vaccine to boost the body's
immune response to the vaccine's antigen.
The clinical trial of 96 adults was conducted at the
NIAID-supported Viral Respiratory Pathogens Research Unit at
Baylor College of Medicine,
Houston.
“The results of this clinical trial add to the growing body of information
demonstrating the potential value of adjuvanted avian influenza vaccines,†said
NIAID Director Anthony Fauci. “In the event of an influenza pandemic, adjuvanted
vaccines could provide a way to extend a limited vaccine supply to more people,â€
he added.
In the trial, a single inoculation of adjuvant-containing H9N2 vaccine,
even at the lowest dosage, generated a good antibody response. By comparison,
the seasonal flu vaccine contains 15 micrograms each of three different
circulating flu strains - much higher than the 3.75 micrograms of H9N2 flu virus
contained in the lowest dose vaccine tested in this trial. A single dose of the
adjuvanted H9N2 vaccine was as good as two doses of the vaccine without
adjuvant.
Editor WorldPoultry
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