Efficacy of anti-influenza peptide vaccine in aged mice

Influenza infections may cause serious morbidity, as well as mortality in the elderly. In the present study we vaccinated old and young mice of two strains with three synthetic recombinant constructs (Levi and Amen, 1995. In: Chanock, R.M. et al. (Eds.), Vaccines 95. CSHL Press, New York: pp. 311-316) and examined their capacity to eliminate a challenge of virus. Virus clearance from the lungs in the aged was very efficient, although the immune response in the aged was comparatively reduced. The data demonstrate that an intranasal administration of peptide-based anti-influenza vaccine without any adjuvant can be efficient and protective in old mice. Further studies are needed to determine whether such constructs will provide an effective vaccine for elderly human subjects. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.