An alternative way of producing influenza virus for vaccine production is based on the use of cell cultures in a biological fermentation process. Mammalian cells are usually used for this purpose. The cells are infected with the virus and the virus is left to multiply for several days. During the course of this process, most […]
Influenza vaccine manufacturers use the primary seed virus strains to produce vaccines that match the strains of the respective virus subtypes that are likely to circulate during the next influenza season. First, the virus strains are separately propagated in embryonated chicken eggs to produce large amounts of the viruses, called the working seed virus stock. […]
Each year, the seasonal influenza viruses change slightly which leads to a less perfect match between the vaccine viruses and the circulating viruses, rendering the vaccine used in previous years less effective. Therefore, each year, a new vaccine must be prepared that will be effective against the influenza virus strains that are expected to circulate […]
There are in principle two types of seasonal influenza vaccines. The first is the traditional flu shot, which is an inactivated vaccine that does not contain live virus. It is given by injection, usually in the upper arm muscle. Inactivated vaccines are available in three forms: whole-virus, split-virus, and subunit-virus vaccines. Whole-virus vaccines are classically […]
Influenza vaccines prevent or mitigate infections. They are designed to induce a protective immune response in the body against the viruses represented in the vaccine. When vaccinated, the immune system of the body produces a specific response, consisting of specific T cells and specific antibodies that fight off the infection when exposure to the virus […]
Medicinal interventions for influenza consist of two major approaches: the use of vaccines and antiviral drugs. Vaccines. The most cost-effective way to combat influenza is vaccination. Vaccines induce a specific immune response in the body by exposing it to an inactivated or weakened virus, or its relevant components. Influenza vaccines work best in healthy individuals […]