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LAIV, TIV similarly effective in preventing influenza-like illness
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The trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine and the live-attenuated influenza vaccine were both effective at preventing influenza-like illness among healthy adults, according to study results.
“Our study’s data suggest that healthy adults can be vaccinated with either vaccine type, which potentially simplifies vaccination protocols and focuses attention on the key factor of ensuring vaccination itself,” Nancy F. Crum-Cianflone, MD, MPH, head of the deployment health research department at the Naval Health Research Center, told Infectious Disease News.
Nancy F. Crum-Cianflone
Crum-Cianflone compared the effectiveness of both vaccines during three consecutive influenza seasons from 2006 to 2009. All participants were active-duty US military members aged 18 to 49 years. The participants were followed from vaccination until the end of the influenza season or occurrence of an influenza-like illness (ILI).
During the timeframe of this retrospective cohort study, there were 41,670 vaccinations given. There were two seasons in which the vaccine and the circulating influenza strains were well-matched. During those seasons, there were 28,929 of the vaccinations. In the third season, the vaccine and circulating influenza strains were suboptimally matched. That season included 12,741 vaccinations.
During the well-matched seasons, the rates of ILI were 138.5 cases per 1,000 person-seasons for LAIV and 127 cases for TIV. During the suboptimal match season, the ILI rates were 149.6 cases per 1,000 person-seasons for LAIV and 165.1 cases per 1,000 person-seasons for TIV. For both seasons, multivariate analyses showed no difference in risk for ILI between the vaccines.
There was also no difference in the rate of influenza and pneumonia events according to vaccine type in either season.
“We are in the process of examining the type of vaccine and its effectiveness among certain subgroups of the population, including those with risky health behaviors, such as smokers,” Crum-Cianflone said. “We are also planning to look at additional influenza seasons, as well as the effect of the addition of the pandemic H1N1 strain within the vaccine and the effectiveness of various vaccine types.”
Disclosure: Crum-Cianflone reports no relevant financial disclosures.
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