Category Archives: Vaccine Updates

A Moderate Pandemic with Immoderate Impact ? Comments Off on A Moderate Pandemic with Immoderate Impact ?

Acording to the latest CDC estimates, there have been just over 12,000 deaths from pandemic 2009 H1N1. This stands in contrast to the 36,000 deaths from a typical flu season, a number widely advertised by HHS. This, along with similar fatality rates were observed worldwide, has led some to describe the H1N1 pandemic as “moderate” […]

Video Digest: H1N1 Retrospective; H1N1 Vaccines Discarded in CA; Weak H1N1 Vaccine Demand in Malaysia Comments Off on Video Digest: H1N1 Retrospective; H1N1 Vaccines Discarded in CA; Weak H1N1 Vaccine Demand in Malaysia

   

H1N1 Research: On a “Heading” Toward a Universal Influenza Vaccine Comments Off on H1N1 Research: On a “Heading” Toward a Universal Influenza Vaccine

When writing about influenza, it can be difficult to report on cutting-edge research. One has to carefully apply terms like “breakthrough.” One also has to avoid terms like “miracle cure.” A universal flu vaccine, that can provide extended protection across a variety of recombitant influenza viruses represents the pinnacle for microbiological research in this area. […]

H1N1 Lessons: Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Production Capacity: Ready for the Next Pandemic ? Comments Off on H1N1 Lessons: Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Production Capacity: Ready for the Next Pandemic ?

The most significant failure in the global public health response to pandemic H1N1 was the lack of sufficient vaccine supplies in time for the second wave of H1N1. According to reporting from the World Health Organization (WHO) H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Task Force, global influenza vaccine production continues to fall well short of WHO’s desired production […]

Op-Ed: H1N1 Ebbs Worldwide, Legacies and Lessons Continue Comments Off on Op-Ed: H1N1 Ebbs Worldwide, Legacies and Lessons Continue

With the passage of time, H1N1 has been quiet in the USA. No states have reported widespread or regional flu activity for five consecutive weeks. Doctor visits for Influenza-like Illness (ILI) are below baseline across all ten CDC regions. On the international front, H1N1 has receded across much of the world. The World Health Organization […]

Research sheds new perspective on much-maligned 1976 swine flu (H1N1) vaccination campaign 1

A study published by scientists from the National Institutes of Health provides additional evidence that persons who received the 1976 vaccine may have immunity from pandeminc H1N1 (pH1N1). Researchers evaulated immune responses in mice after exposing them to several H1N1 viruses (1918, 1940, 1976 and 2009) and found that prior infection with a 1976 H1N1 […]

H1N1 in Transition: La persistance de dénouements Comments Off on H1N1 in Transition: La persistance de dénouements

As the traditional winter flu season peaks, pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) activity in the USA remains at low ebb. Overall flu activity has remained below baseline for the last six weeks. Currently, pH1N1 is circulating at elevated (above baseline) levels in pockets of the southeastern and western regions of the country. Recent CDC estimates indicate that […]

H1N1 Transitions: FDA Selects Pandemic H1N1 for Inclusion in 2010-11 Seasonal Flu Vaccine Comments Off on H1N1 Transitions: FDA Selects Pandemic H1N1 for Inclusion in 2010-11 Seasonal Flu Vaccine

A US Food and Drug Administration vaccines panel voted to follow World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations to include pandemic H1N1 in the seasonal flu vaccine for 2010-2011. A/California/7/2009 (the pandemic strain) will replace A/Brisbane/59/2007 for the H1N1 component of the trivalent (three-strain) influenza vaccine.  FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee also voted to […]

H1N1 in Transition: WHO to Decide Post-Peak Phase in H1N1 Pandemic; 2009 H1N1 Replaces Seasonal A H1N1 in Next Trivalent Influenza Vaccine 2

This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Committee will advise on transition to a “post-peak” phase for the H1N1 pandemic. The current pandemic alert level is at Level 6. The committee ruled out a “post-pandemic” phase because, in its view, H1N1 is not yet behaving like normal seasonal infuenza, and that future waves of […]

Of Mice and Men: H1N1 Immunity in the USA; Effects of H1N1 Vaccines Past and Present 1

A recent study published in PLoS Pathogens found that vaccines developed from “classical H1N1 viruses (Sw/30 or NJ/76), 1918 virus-like particles, and a human H1N1 virus isolated in 1943 (Wei/43) protected against death from 2009 pandemic H1N1…” when tested in vivo in mice. Another study finding was that the “H1N1 virus underwent little antigenic drift […]