Older age and prior administration of seasonal influenza vaccine were independently associated with a decreased antibody response. (sciencedaily.com)
In a New England Journal of Medicine perspective, experts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in Melbourne discuss how the process of preparing seasonal influenza vaccines in eggs may contribute to their limited effectiveness. (sciencedaily.com)
However, variations in seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness over the past decade have raised questions about their protective ability and whether other factors, such as antibodies to the NA protein on the flu virus, should be considered in designing the annual flu vaccine to improve its performance. (sciencedaily.com)