Epidemiological Studies on Influenza in Familial and General Population Groups

Abstract

This paper presents some observations on the effectiveness of vaccination with adjuvant vaccines in general population groups against influenza B in 1952 and influenza A in 1953. Four monovalent water-in-oil adjuvant vaccines incorporating A/PR8, A/FW/1/50, B/Lee and B/Va./l/50 strains of influenza were used. Definite protection 13 wks. after vaccination against influenza B was demonstrated in the type B vaccinated groups using as the criteria, incidence of acute febrile respiratory illness and frequency of virus isolation in association with febrile respiratory illness. Suggestive protection against influenza A 8 and 60 wks. after vaccination was noted in the A/FW/1/50 vaccinated group using the same 2 criteria of evaluating vaccine effectiveness. No protection against influenza A was manifest, however, among individuals vaccinated with A/FW/1/50 2 wks. prior to the epidemic peak.