Serological response to influenza vaccination among children vaccinated for multiple influenza seasons

BACKGROUND: To evaluate if, among children aged 3 to 15 years, influenza vaccination for multiple seasons affects the proportion sero-protected.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Participants were 131 healthy children aged 3-15 years. Participants were vaccinated with trivalent inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine (TIV) over the 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-8 seasons. Number of seasons vaccinated were categorized as one (2007-08); two (2007-08 and 2006-07 or 2007-08 and 2005-06) or three (2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08). Pre- and post-vaccination sera were collected four weeks apart. Antibody titres were determined by hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay using antigens to A/Solomon Islands/03/06 (H1N1), A/Wisconsin/67/05 (H3N2) and B/Malaysia/2506/04. The proportions sero-protected were compared by number of seasons vaccinated using cut-points for seroprotection of 1:40 vs. 1:320. The proportions of children sero-protected against H1N1 and H3N2 was high (>85%) regardless of number of seasons vaccinated and regardless of cut-point for seroprotection. For B Malaysia there was no change in proportions sero-protected by number of seasons vaccinated; however the proportions protected were lower than for H1N1 and H3N2, and there was a lower proportion sero-protected when the higher, compared to lower, cut-point was used for sero-protection.

CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The proportion of children sero-protected is not affected by number of seasons vaccinated.