Comparison of responses to influenza A/New Jersey/76-A/Victoria/75 virus vaccine administered intradermally or subcutaneously to adults with chronic respiratory disease.
Serum HAI (hemagglutination inhibition) antibody responses were compared in two groups of 70 age-matched patients (age range, 17 to 82 years) who were vaccinated with bivalent influenza A/New Jersey/76-A/Victoria/75 whole-virus vaccine. The group that was vaccinated intradermally received 40 chick cell-agglutinating units of each viral antigen in 0.1 ml, and the group that was vaccinated subcutaneously received 200 chick cell-agglutinating units of each antigen in 0.5 ml. The serum HAI antibody response to A/New Jersey/76 antigen was significantly higher in the group that was vaccinated subcutaneously; this difference was particularly evident in patients less than or equal to 50 years old. The serologic response to A/Victoria/75 antigen did not differ significantly between the two groups. Levels of antibody before vaccination indicated previous widespread exposure of patients to influenza A/Victoria/75 virus, but not to influenza A/New Jersey/76 virus. Such differences in prior immunologic experience with a particular strain of influenza virus probably determine whether the intradermal route of vaccination is as effective as, or inferior to, the subcutaneous route.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008875:Middle Aged; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007252:Influenza Vaccines