Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
Intranasal Administration of Recombinant Influenza Vaccines in Chimeric Mouse Models to Study Mucosal Immunity
Published on: June 25, 2015
Targeted vaccine selection in influenza vaccination
Peter Wutzler1, Roland Hardt, Markus Knuf
1Institute of Virology and Antiviral Therapy - University Hospital Jena, Catholic Clinic Mainz, St. Hildegardis Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Medicine, Dr. Horst Schmidt Clinic GmbH, Wiesbaden, German Association of General Practitioners, Münster.
Background:
The main target groups for influenza vaccination are the elderly, the chronically ill, infants, and toddlers. Influenza vaccines are needed that suit the immunological particularities of each of these age and risk groups. Recent years have seen the approval of influenza vaccines that are more immunogenic than before, but whose use in Germany is limited by the restriction of reimbursement to a small number of vaccines.
Methods:
The Medline database was selectively searched for pertinent literature.
Results:
The suboptimal immunogenicity of conventional influenza vaccines that contain inactivated viral cleavage products and subunits can be markedly improved by the use of squalene-based adjuvant systems, by the integration of viral antigens in virosomal particles, or by intradermal administration. The vaccination of elderly persons with a vaccine containing the adjuvant MF59 was found to lower the risk of hospitalization for influenza or pneumonia by 25% compared to vaccination with a trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV). On the other hand, the adjuvant ASO3 was found to be associated with an up to 17-fold increase in the frequency of narcolepsy among 4- to 18-year-olds. In a prospective study, a virosomal vaccine lowered the frequency of laboratory-confirmed influenza in vaccinated children by 88% compared to unvaccinated children (2 versus 18 cases per 1000 individuals). A live, attenuated influenza vaccine lowered the rate of disease in children up to age 7 by 48% compared to a TIV (4.2% versus 8.1%).
Conclusion:
The newer vaccines possess improved efficacy when used for primary and booster immunization in certain age and risk groups, and they are superior in this respect to conventional vaccines based on viral cleavage products and subunits. The risk/benefit profiles of all currently available vaccines vary depending on the age group or risk group in which they are used.
