Posted on 01/17/2004 1:35:08 AM PST by chicagolady
Vaccination and Immunization
Influenza
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Medicine and Health
Vaccine Is Said to Fail to Protect Against Flu Strain By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN
Published: January 15, 2004
Correction Appended
A small study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that this season's influenza vaccine failed to protect against the Fujian strain that has caused most cases.
Depending on the way the data were analyzed, the vaccine protected zero to 14 percent of participants in the study, said a scientist briefed on the study who would not allow his name to be used.
Officials of the centers said last night that they hoped that continuing studies to be completed in the spring would show that the vaccine offered more protection than this study indicated.
Officials had warned that there was a mismatch between the current vaccine and the Fujian strain of influenza virus that was causing most illness this season. But they said the vaccine should still offer some protection to many people.
Officials of the centers discussed the findings with dozens of influenza experts yesterday in a teleconference in advance of the study's publication in today's issue of the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The scientist who was briefed on the findings cautioned against drawing conclusions from the study because of serious flaws in its design. The findings may be countered by reports of other comprehensive studies later, the scientist said.
This study was the first that the centers had conducted in the middle of a flu epidemic. It involved a questionnaire sent to 3,100 health workers at Children's Hospital in Denver, asking whether they had been vaccinated, when and whether they developed an illness compatible with influenza.
The study was carried out in the five weeks when influenza hit hardest in Denver, from late October through late November. Colorado, like other areas of the United States, experienced an onset of the influenza season earlier than usual.
Because just 61 percent of health workers responded, and many other infectious agents can cause flulike symptoms, experts said the study had limitations.
An additional weakness is that epidemiologists did not take specimens from the respondents for laboratory tests to determine what proportion of the reported illness was actually from the influenza virus.
At meetings last February and March where experts made educated guesses about what strains to use in preparing this season's vaccine, the panel members knew about the new Fujian strain. But it was too late to include it in the vaccine manufactured for the Northern Hemisphere. The vaccine being prepared for the Southern Hemisphere is formulated to protect against the Fujian strain.
The Denver study is the first of many that the disease control centers and other scientists have undertaken.
"It is the first bite out of the apple, but it has left a bit of a sour taste," said the expert, who was referring to the findings of a low level of protection against Fujian.
The effectiveness rates of influenza vaccine vary in part according to the age and health status of the individual. Influenza vaccine prevents illness in about 80 percent of children and young adults. The vaccine is less effective in preventing symptoms among those 65 and older, but prevents major complications like pneumonia in about 70 percent of those who receive it in the older population.
Correction: Jan. 16, 2004, Friday
The headline and the opening paragraph of an article yesterday about a government study of the effectiveness of this year's influenza vaccine misstated a finding. The research, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggested that the vaccine was largely ineffective against influenza and other ailments that resemble it. But because of the limits of the study, the researchers were unable to conclude specifically that it was ineffective against any influenza strain, including the Fujian strain that has caused a majority of cases this year.
Well, when it comes down to it, the flu will just have to be taken care of by the body of an individual. I have no doubt that this mode of resistance to the flu will guarantee the existence of humankind.
True. While its good to have some way of treating symptoms to help those with compromised immune systems, the elderly, etc, I also believe that G*d provides all of us with all the weapons we need to fight this yearly affliction on our own. The human body is a marvelous machine.
I have no doubt that this mode of resistance to the flu will guarantee the existence of humankind.
If memory serves, "hybrid vigor" is the term used by breeders that describes that quality.
As I posted earlier, the media frenzy over innoculation was just an attempt by the government to use up old supplies.
Injecting the vaccine into gullible people is a lot cheaper than having to dispose of it as medical waste.
(yes)
The real question ought to be why they ramped up the media to get people to take the ineffective vaccine.
I've seen other posts here musing that it is cheaper to simply get people to take the shots than to dispose of them as medical waste. I'm not far from believing it.
Probably because while your immune system was working up resistance to the antigens in the flu shot, you were left wide open to whatever else happened to be lurking around.
I've always felt that the best way to avoid disease is to keep your immunity strong. Get a high-protein diet, exercise, and don't compromise your immunity by doing foolish things, like smoking or taking immunizations you don't really need.
Really, I used to get sick if the wind blows the wrong way so this was a big achievment for me.</P.
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