A trial of live virus intra-nasal influenza vaccine

One hundred and fifty-seven medical students were randomly divided into three groups: one group was vaccinated with ALICE live virus intra-nasal vaccine; one with sub-unit vaccine given subcutaneously and the third group with a placebo intra-nasal vaccine. One hundred and four patients from two group practices were also given ALICE vaccine by one of four different practitioners. Sero conversion occurred to an equivalent extent in all those given ALICE vaccine and there was only a minor increase in the sero-conversion rate following a second dose of vaccine. Protection by the ALICE intra-nasal vaccine against the A/ Port Chalmers strain of influenza appeared to be superior to that of sub-unit vaccine and HI antibody titres persisted longer in the ALICE group than in those subjects given the sub-unit vaccine.