title: A pilot study of the immune response to whole inactivated avian influenza H7N1 virus vaccine in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in domestic poultry bring humans into close contact with new influenza subtypes and represent a threat to human health. In 1999, an HPAI outbreak of H7N1 virus occurred in domestic poultry in Italy, and a wild-type virus isolate from this outbreak was chosen as a pandemic vaccine candidate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a pilot study to investigate the kinetics of the humoral immune response induced after immunisation with an egg grown whole inactivated H7N1 virus vaccine in BALB/c mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were vaccinated with one or two doses of H7N1 vaccine (15 microg total protein) to investigate the influenza specific antibody secreting cell (IS-ASC) and serum antibody responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the first dose of vaccine, only IgM IS-ASC were detected in the spleen and bone marrow, whereas IgG, IgA and IgM IS-ASC were found after the second dose. Low antibody titres were detected after the first immunisation, whilst the second dose of vaccine significantly boosted the HI (range 128-512), neutralising and IgG antibody titres. The IgG subclass response was dominated by IgG2a indicating a dominant Th1 response after the first vaccination, whereas a more mixed Th1/Th2 profile was observed after the second dose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study shows the value of using a number of immunological methods to evaluate the quality of the immune response to potential pandemic candidate vaccines.
authors.affiliation: The Influenza Centre, The Gade Institute, University of Bergen, Bergen, UK.
authors.forename: Arnt-Ove
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Hovden
authors.forename: Karl A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Brokstad
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Lars R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Haaheim
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011200:Poultry; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated