Evaluation of immunogenicity of the 2008-2009 seasonal influenza vaccines by microneutralization test

PurposeFor evaluating the immunogenicity of an influenza vaccine, the microneutralization (MN) test has a higher sensitivity and specificity as compared to the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. However, the MN test is more time consuming and is difficult to standardize. We performed the MN test...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Seung Youn Kim, Yun Kyung Kim, Byung Wook Eun, Nam Hee Kim, Eun Kyeong Kang, Byong Sop Lee, Jung Sub Lim, Jun Ah Lee, Dong Ho Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Korean Pediatric Society 2012-12-01
Series:Korean Journal of Pediatrics
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Online Access:http://kjp.or.kr/upload/pdf/kjped-55-474.pdf
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Summary:PurposeFor evaluating the immunogenicity of an influenza vaccine, the microneutralization (MN) test has a higher sensitivity and specificity as compared to the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. However, the MN test is more time consuming and is difficult to standardize. We performed the MN test to determine its usefulness as an alternative or complementary test to the HI test for evaluating the immunogenicity of influenza vaccines.MethodsWe compared the MN test with the HI test using 50 paired samples taken from a previous clinical study (2008-2009) in Korean children under 18 years of age.ResultsThe linear correlation coefficients of the 2 tests for H3N2, H1N1, and influenza B were 0.69, 0.70, and 0.66, respectively. We identified a high index of coincidence between the 2 tests. For an influenza vaccine, the postvaccination seroprotection rates and seroconversion rates determined by the MN test were 78.0% and 96.0%, 90% and 42.0%, and 42.0% and 48.0% for H3N2, H1N1, and influenza B, respectively. Geometric mean titer fold increases of H3N2, H1N1, and influenza B were 2.89, 5.04, and 4.29, respectively, and were 2.5-fold higher. We obtained good results in the evaluation of the immunogenicity of the 2008-2009 seasonal influenza vaccines.ConclusionWe found that the MN test was as effective as the HI test. Therefore, we suggest that the MN test can be used as an alternative or complementary test to the HI test for evaluating the immunogenicity of influenza vaccines.
ISSN:1738-1061
2092-7258