Immunization against Influenza: Comparison of Various Topical and Parenteral Regimens Containing Inactivated and/or Live Attenuated Vaccines in Healthy Adults

Methods for enhancing immune responses to influenza were explored in 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Intranasal (inl) immunization with monovalent, live attenuated, cold-adapted recombinant (CR) or inactivated influenza virus (MIV) vaccine and intramuscular (im) immunization with MIV were evaluated in various combinations. Healthy susceptible adults were assigned randomly to receive 10(7.1) TCID(50) of CR (A/H1N1 or A/H3N2), homologous MIV (15 microg), or placebo inl and placebo or homologous MIV im (6 groups in each study). Serum antibody responses were greatest in groups given im vaccine (with or without inl vaccine). A 2-fold increase in nasal wash antibody response frequencies was seen in groups given combined inl (CR or MIV) and im vaccine, compared with subjects given a single im (MIV) or inl (CR or MIV) vaccine. Combined inl and im immunization is a promising approach for enhancing both local and systemic immune responses against influenza.