H1N1 VACCINE

H1N1 vaccine

H1N1 vaccine

H1N1 is an annual vaccine to protect against the highly variable influenza virus The CDC has released 3.4 million doses of the H1N1, or swine flu, vaccine, which will be distributed throughout the 50 states. More than 251 million doses of the vaccine will be administered to patients throughout flu season. Although the panic factor surrounding the potential threat of a swine flu pandemic is high, lethal cases of H1N1 have been relatively low. Out of the almost 30,000 cases of swine flu that have been reported, most cases are mild. As of early September 127 people in the U.S. had died of swine flu. So far, [the H1N1 virus] has not shown a very high virulence or a very high mutation rate. For most of the people who get it, it's not a very severe set of symptoms.

That's causing some experts to question the necessity of getting vaccinated. Dr. Arthur Douville, a neurologist from Los Gatos, California, asked, "How widely should we vaccinate against an influenza virus that is relatively modest in its effects, and which the exact extent of the pandemic we can't really predict?" Good question. When it comes to public health, there's a fine line between harm and safety.

Swine flu is not a new virus. In 1976 there was a spread of infections of the same virus and the government set a large vaccination program in motion. Millions of Americans were vaccinated, but many suffered adverse events such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome. GBS is a neurological disorder where nerve damage can result in paralysis and loss of muscle function, potentially causing death. The vaccination program was abandoned after three months. picturename

Vaccination technology has come a long way since the late 70's, as Dr. Jonathon Fielding, a public health officer for the County of Los Angeles, points out. We have been making vaccines for 33 years since then. I think the rate of complications of vaccine administration is very small, and the benefits are so great compared to the very small risk.

Today's H1N1 vaccine is identical to the seasonal H1N1 distributed every year, except that instead of injecting the flu virus, H1N1 is injected. Both the FDA and CDC say the risks are similar to those associated with getting a vaccine for the common flu. We expect the 2009 H1N1 H1N1 to have a similar safety profile as seasonal flu vaccines, which have very good safety track records.

Samantha Ellinwood, a 1st year medical student at UC Davis believes strongly in her decision to get vaccinated, not only because her school requires it, but because she sees it as part of her obligation as a member of the health-care profession. "Honestly, the risks involved are a lot lower in getting the vaccine than not getting it. I am in a position where I could get a lot of people sick, especially people who are immune compromised. It's important for people like me to get vaccinated.

Influenza research includes molecular virology, molecular evolution, pathogenesis, host immune responses, genomics, ...