The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced that it has asked for clinical trials of a vaccine targeted against the novel A(H3N2)v triple reassortment viruses infecting some people in the USA.
Influenza viruses pose a particular challenge for those designing vaccines for humans. Much of the protective immunity that humans have against these viruses following natural infection or vaccination is due to immunological recognition of the haemagglutinin (HA) surface glycoprotein.
In a recent scientific article (Udwadia, F et al. Clin. Infect. Dis. 2011, Dec 21, Eprint) four cases of so-called total drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) were reported from India.
The US initiative raises the question of whether there should be a similar initiative in Europe, for example in support of the E.U. Council Recommendation on Seasonal Influenza Immunization
On the 22 November 2011, ECDC organised a workshop at the European Parliament to provide policy makers with more information on the facts about seasonal influenza vaccination and on ECDC’s contributions to the implementation of the 2009 Council Recommendation on this subject.
Following an earlier consultation document issued in March 2011 the UK’s Secretary of State for Health, along with the UK’s developed administrations (N. Ireland, Scotland and Wales) published a new influenza pandemic strategy on 10 November.