Comparison of the long-term immunogenicity of two pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 vaccines, the MF59-adjuvanted and unadjuvanted vaccines, in adults

Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2012 May;19(5):638-41. doi: 10.1128/CVI.00026-12. Epub 2012 Feb 29.

Abstract

Since the first reports of the A/H1N1 virus in April 2009, the pandemic influenza virus spread globally and circulated for a long time. The primary method for the control of influenza is vaccination, but levels of influenza vaccine-induced antibody are known to decline rapidly during a 6-month period. In adults aged 18 to 64 years, we compared the long-term immunogenicity of two of the influenza A/H1N1 2009 monovalent vaccines, 3.75-μg MF59-adjuvanted vaccine and 15-μg unadjuvanted vaccine. The serum hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) titers were determined prevaccination and at 1, 6, and 10 months after vaccination. One hundred six (88.3%) of the 120 subjects were monitored for the entire 10-month period after receiving the influenza A/H1N1 2009 monovalent vaccine. There were 60 patients who received the unadjuvanted vaccine and 46 patients who received the MF59-adjuvanted vaccine. The seroprotection rates, seroconversion rates, and the geometric mean titer (GMT) folds fulfilled the criteria of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for influenza A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) at 1 month after vaccination irrespective of the vaccine composition. Although the GMTs at 1 month postvaccination were somewhat higher in the unadjuvanted vaccine recipients than in the MF59-adjuvanted vaccine recipients, the difference was not significant (P = 0.29). The seroprotection rates at 6 and 10 months postvaccination were preserved above 70% but only in the MF59-adjuvanted vaccine recipients. In conclusion, low-dose MF59-adjuvanted influenza vaccine, even with 3.75 μg hemagglutinin antigen, might induce excellent long-term immunity that is comparable to the conventional dose of unadjuvanted vaccine among healthy adults aged 18 to 64 years.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / administration & dosage
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Female
  • Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory*
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / immunology*
  • Influenza Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Influenza Vaccines / immunology*
  • Influenza, Human / immunology
  • Influenza, Human / prevention & control*
  • Influenza, Human / virology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polysorbates / administration & dosage
  • Squalene / administration & dosage
  • Time Factors
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Influenza Vaccines
  • MF59 oil emulsion
  • Polysorbates
  • Squalene