title: Antibody responses to influenza B viruses in immunologically unprimed children.
abstract: The cocirculation in several parts of the world of influenza viruses B/Yamagata/16/88 and B/Victoria/2/87, which are genetically and antigenically divergent, has prompted the question of whether immunization with one viral antigen is sufficient for protection against both strains. Twenty-three high-risk infants and young children were immunized with a commercial trivalent influenza vaccine containing the antigens of influenza virus B/Yamagata/16/88. When antibodies against influenza viruses B/Yamagata/16/88 and B/Victoria/2/87 were determined, increases developed uniformly to both in the sera of primed children previously exposed to influenza virus B/Victoria/2/87 by immunization or infection. Antibodies against B/Yamagata/16/88 developed in the sera of unprimed children with titers similar to those of the primed children. However, antibodies to B/Victoria/2/87 were not detected in the sera of the unprimed children. These data suggest that children without appropriate immunologic priming may not be protected against an infection with a B/Victoria/2/87 strain after vaccination with a B/Yamagata/16/88 strain. Immunization with more than one influenza B virus strain may be desirable in some high-risk pediatric patients if divergent influenza B viruses circulate.
authors.affiliation: Division of Virology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Levandowski
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Regnery
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Staton
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Groothuis
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007252:Influenza Vaccines