WASHINGTON — US health officials announced "more good news" Monday in the
fight against swine flu, saying clinical trials have shown that a single dose of
H1N1 vaccine will be enough to immunize healthy older children.
"Preliminary data from our trials indicate that a single 15-microgram dose of
vaccine is well tolerated and induces immune responses in most older children
that is generally predictive of protection," Anthony Fauci, director of the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), told a news conference.
"Among healthy children aged 10 - 17 years old, 76 percent had a robust immune
response" eight to 10 days after being given a single shot of a vaccine made by
French manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur, said Fauci.
The announcement came 10 days after US health officials announced that a single
dose of swine flu vaccine could be enough to immunize healthy adults aged 18-64.
Younger children showed a less robust response and will probably need two shots
against H1N1 influenza when vaccine becomes available next month, Fauci said.
"Among healthy children three to nine years old, 36 percent had a robust immune
response and among healthy children six months to 35 months old, 25 percent had
a robust immune response," Fauci said, adding that the weaker response in
younger children was not unexpected.
Trials of swine flu vaccine on children between the ages of six months and 17
years of age began in the middle of last month, said Fauci.
Children are among five groups deemed to be at particular risk from the novel
swine flu virus.
The other at-risk groups are pregnant women, people in contact with infants,
medical personnel, and adults under the age of 65 with underlying medical
conditions.
The Federal Drug Administration -- the agency that authorizes new drugs in the
United States -- on Friday approved swine flu vaccine made by four manufacturers
who are also licensed to make seasonal flu vaccine in the United States,
including Sanofi Pasteur.
Source : 2009 AFP
