Vaccine looks promising for flu and ear infections
NIH co-sponsors study for pediatric use
A successful, large-scale trial of a vaccine to counter the flu and associated ear infections in infants and children has researchers excited on several fronts.
Along with the obvious gain of thwarting one of the most common and widespread threats to kids, a successful vaccine also could help in the overall fight against antibiotic resistance, a growing byproduct of ear infection treatments. As a nasal spray, the vaccine could result in one less tear-inducing injection given to the youngest of patients.
Clinical trials look good
Dubbed FluMist by developer Aviron (Mountain View, CA), the vaccine is produced from three live but weakened influenza virus strains. In a recently completed study co-sponsored by the National Institutes of Health of 1,602 children, incidents of flu were reduced by 93%, and flu-related ear infections with fever by 98%. Overall, ear infections both associated with flu and not were cut by 30%.
Specifically 1,070 patients were given two doses of the vaccine 60 days apart, while 532 children were on placebo. Of the vaccine group, 14 children (1%) came down with the flu, with just one of those children developing an ear infection. Of the placebo group, 95 children (18%) developed a case of flu, with 28 developing an ear infection.
That 85% of all children ages 3 and under contract ear infections makes the vaccine desirable, but NIH officials also caution that vaccinating all healthy children has cost-benefit considerations.
[For more information, contact Aviron, 297 N. Bernardo Ave., Mountain View, CA. Telephone: (650) 919-6500. Or call the National Institutes of Health at (800) 772-5464.]
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