Oral immunization of 5 volunteers with an enteric-coated inactivated influenza vaccine resulted in a significant rise of IgA-specific antibodies in tears, saliva and nasal secretion, reaching a maximum response 5–7 weeks after completion of immunization.

Background: Respimat^®, a possible alternative to the conventional metered dose inhaler (MDI), is a novel, reusable, propellant-free, multidose soft mist inhaler. Respimat slowly releases a metered dose of active substance as a soft mist with a high proportion of the dose in the fine particle fraction, leading to improved lung deposition following inhalation when compared with the conventional MDI. Objectives and Methods: The equipotent bronchodilating efficacy and safety of a combination of fenoterol hydrobromide and ipratropium bromide (F/I) in cumulative doses delivered by either Respimat or pressurised MDI was assessed in a randomised, controlled, double-blind (within device) 4-way crossover study. Forty-three patients with stable asthma (mean FEV₁ 62% predicted) responsive to F/I inhaled cumulatively 16 puffs on each of 4 test days (1 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 puffs at 50-min intervals) via Respimat delivering 50/20, 25/20 or 25/10 µg F/I per puff or via MDI delivering 50/20 µg F/I per puff. Results: Cumulative doses of 400/160 and 400/320 µg F/I via Respimat produced bronchodilation (evaluated by average increase in FEV₁ 45–245 min after first inhalation) equivalent to that achieved with a cumulative 800/320 µg F/I via MDI (mean increase in FEV₁ above baseline 0.76, 0.73 and 0.71 litres, respectively). The tolerability of the F/I combination via Respimat was also comparable to that of twice the dose delivered via MDI. Conclusion: Therefore, a fenoterol hydrobromide/ipratropium bromide combination delivered by Respimat is as safe and effective as the MDI at half the cumulative dose, on acute administration to patients with asthma.

A newly developed lectin neuraminidase test (LNT) and a panel of mouse monoclonal and post-infection ferret antibodies have been used to analyse antigenic drift in N1 neuraminidases of influenza A viruses isolated between 1933 and 1957 and also between 1977 and 1980. Significant antigenic differences were detected among the 'early' (1933-57) viruses since the NA of viruses isolated one year apart could be distinguished serologically. The NA of the 're-emerged' virus A/USSR/92/77 (H1N1) was antigenically related but not identical to influenza A viruses isolated in 1949 (A/Paris/49 (H1N1), A/Geneva/49 (H1N1) which thus predates the previously observed antigenic similarity of A/USSR/77 with A/FW/50 (H1N1) virus.

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