title: Pandemic H5N1 influenza vaccine development: an update.
abstract: The spread and evolution of highly pathogenic influenza A/H5N1 viruses in birds worldwide, and the associated human fatalities, have raised concern about an imminent influenza pandemic. Studies evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of traditional (egg-grown, subvirion and whole virus) vaccines and alternative vaccine approaches (recombinant, live-attenuated and adjuvanted vaccines) have been performed. Results show that, using unadjuvanted subvirion vaccines, at least two vaccine doses containing high dosages of influenza virus hemagglutinin are needed to elicit a titer of antibody that has been associated with protection in vaccinated subjects. High antigen-dosage requirements may be reduced and immunogenicity improved with the use of whole virus vaccines or adjuvants, such as MF59 and GlaxoSmithKline proprietary adjuvant. There is a suggestion that prepandemic priming against drifted H5N1 variants is possible; however, additional data are needed. Newer approaches using live-attenuated, DNA vaccines and conserved epitopes are currently under development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, One Baylor Plaza, BCM-MS280, Houston, TX 77030, USA. hanae@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Hana M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: El Sahly
authors.forename: Wendy A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Keitel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic