title: Influenza immunology evaluation and correlates of protection: a focus on vaccines.
abstract: Vaccination is the most effective method of controlling seasonal influenza infections and preventing possible pandemic events. Although influenza vaccines have been licensed and used for decades, the potential correlates of protection induced by these vaccines are still a matter of discussion. Currently, inactivated vaccines are the most common and the haemagglutination inhibition antibody titer is regarded as an immunological correlate of protection and the best available parameter for predicting protection from influenza infection. However, the assay shows some limitations, such as its low sensitivity to B and avian strains and inter-laboratory variability. Additional assays and next-generation vaccines have been evaluated to overcome the limitations of the traditional serological techniques and to elicit broad immune responses, underlining the need to revise the current correlates of protection. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current scenario regarding the immunological evaluation and correlates of protection of influenza vaccines.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine , University of Siena , Siena , Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Trombetta
authors.affiliation: a Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine , University of Siena , Siena , Italy.|b VisMederi srl , Enterprise of services in Life Sciences , Siena , Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montomoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D007252:Influenza Vaccines
keywords: Correlates of protection; guidelines on influenza vaccines; haemagglutination inhibition titer; immunological assays; influenza vaccines