Protective Effect of Vaccination Against Induced Influenza B.

The production of neutralizing activity in serum and nasal secretion following immunization with influenza B virus

“…J. Fry (personal communication) indeed believes from observations in his own practice that relatively few adults affected by Asian influenza in 1957 were again affected clinically during the recurrent outbreaks of 1959, 1961 and 1964. Because of the difficulty of judging influenzal immunity after natural infections, the challenging effect of deliberate inoculation with living virus has been studied in volunteers. Thus more than 20 years ago laboratory-cultivated influenza viruses A and B were used to challenge the protection induced by subcutaneous immunization (Henle, Henle & Stokes, 1943; Francis, Salk, Pearson & Brown, 1945; Salk, Pearson, Brown & Francis, 1945).…”

Serological Response to Intranasal Administration of Inactive Influenza Virus in Children 1

“…Numerically the antibody titers in the subcutaneous group were higher than in previous experiments with adults (3,5,19). Proof of whether this represents chance or that children in this age group do respond better and more consistently, would require studies with large groups of children.…”

“…Even the fact that the response to the strain of Type B virus was numerically better than A must be accepted with reservation. Other studies have indicated that the Lee strain, measured in terms of protection against natural and experimental disease, induces a stauncher degree of protection than certain A strains of influenza virus (4,5,19). The low initial titers to the Lee strain were associated with more striking increases in titer 2 weeks after vaccination and, conversely, the higher original titers to the A strains minimized the increments in titer after vaccination.…”

Role of U.S. military research programs in the development of U.S.-licensed vaccines for naturally occurring infectious diseases

“…Francis is credited with having been the first scientist to isolate influenza virus from a human in the United States in 1935 and also the first to isolate influenza B. The influenza virus strains contributed by Dr. Francis were used to make an inactivated whole-virus vaccine evaluated by clinical studies in hospitalized inmates, military recruits, and college students [6][7][8]. U.S. Army troops were vaccinated against influenza type A starting in 1943 prior to influenza vaccine licensure by Parke, Davis and Company of Detroit, Michigan in 1945 because of concern that mobilization of troops could enhance influenza transmission resulting in another serious pandemic.…”