Swine Flu Shot Gives Fast Protection - Good news

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Swine Flu Shot Gives Fast Protection

H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine Protects in 8-10 Days, U.S. Trials Confirm

By J. DeNoon

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Sept. 11, 2009 - You'll be protected from swine flu eight to 10 days after

getting a single shot of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine -- at least if you're a

healthy adult, U.S. studies show.

Results of studies in children, who may still need two doses of the swine flu

vaccine, won't be available for two weeks. And it's still unclear whether adults

with chronic health conditions (diabetes, asthma, obesity, etc) might need two

shots of the pandemic flu vaccine.

But the findings in adults amaze and delight health officials. The early U.S.

study results confirm yesterday's report from Australian studies that most

adults need only one standard dose of H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

" Americans who get the H1N1 vaccine most likely will be protected sooner than we

thought, " HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at a news conference held to

announce the findings. " Now it appears most people have a robust immune response

in eight to 10 days. It shortens the window of worry, and more people can be

protected much earlier. "

The speedy immune response was so unexpected that researchers didn't even bother

to look for it in many clinical trial subjects. Some of the U.S. trials didn't

test for swine flu-neutralizing antibodies until 21 days after the first shot.

Fortunately, enough of them did.

Also surprising is how well the swine flu vaccine worked in the U.S. studies.

The H1N1 vaccines made by CSL and Sanofi raised protective levels of antibody in

80% to 96% of adults aged 18 to 64 and in 50% to 60% of those over age 65.

" This is very good news for the H1N1 vaccine program, " Fauci, MD,

director, of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,

said at the news conference. " There have been no significant adverse events

whatsoever. The vaccine is very well tolerated. "

Swine Flu Race Is On

Now the race is on to get the swine flu vaccine into people's arms -- or noses,

as a FluMist inhaled version of the vaccine will be available. Swine flu is now

widespread in 11 states; all 50 states report cases.

Last week, nearly 60% of U.S. doctor visits were for flu-like symptoms, Anne

Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC's respiratory disease center, said at the news

conference. That means there's as much flu going around now as there was at the

peak of last flu season.

" These levels of influenza activity are extremely unusual for this time of

year, " Schuchat said. " Ninety-eight percent of the viruses are novel H1N1. "

Fauci said plans are still on track to start distributing some 45 million doses

of swine flu vaccine in mid-October. About 20 million more doses are expected to

become available every week after that. The U.S. has purchased 195 million doses

in all. That now looks like more than enough to vaccinate every American who

wants it.

Vaccine supplies could be extended even further. By giving the vaccine along

with an immune-boosting substance called an adjuvant, the Australian studies

show, just one half-dose of vaccine works as well as a full dose without

adjuvant.

Unfortunately, these adjuvants have not yet been approved by the U.S. FDA. This

means they will not be used in the U.S. during this flu season. But adjuvant is

approved in Europe and elsewhere, and should greatly extend the worldwide supply

of swine flu vaccine.