IMMUNIZATION AGAINST SWINE INFLUENZA IN YALE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 51  (2) , 165-176
Abstract
Of the approximately 30,000 members of the Yale community [New Haven, Connecticut, USA] aged 18-59, 19% received swine influenza monovalent vaccine (A/New Jersey/1976) during the 3 days of a mass immunization program in Nov. 1976. Based on 1508 card questionnaires received, 71.2% of the vaccine recipients experienced a sore arm, 23.4% headache, 13.4% chilliness and 9.7% feverishness or fever. The sore arm was judged as severe in 5.9% as was the headache in 4.2%. Other reactions were regarded as severe in less than 2%. All reactions were reported more commonly by women than men and all decreased with age. Serologic tests carried out at the start of the immunization period revealed that influenza A/New Jersey/1976 antibody was absent from 78.6% of the recipients; almost all persons under 25 lacked this antibody. A significant antibody rise occurred in 78.3% of those receiving a single dose of monovalent vaccine. Somewhat better antibody responses occurred in 36-59 yr olds than in those age 17-25 (84.9 vs. 75.5%); the geometric mean antibody titer was also much higher (1:136.8 vis. 1:31.2). The presence of pre-existing homologous antibody did not significantly improve the antibody response to the vaccine. Cross-reacting antibody rises to A/Victoria/1975 were found in 16.2% of the recipients of monovalent vaccine.

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