Bird-flu vaccine works at high doses; Focus turns to ways to stretch vacc...( tective levels of antibodies in 56 perc...),Health

"For whatever reason, the H5N1 strain of avian flu just does not stimulate the immune system as much as the regular flu does," Treanor said.

Currently Treanor's Rochester team is involved in five studies to learn more about bird flu and test a vaccine against it:

• Rochester is one of four sites of a study of 240 people testing the vaccine in people age 65 and older. Sixty-seven people in Rochester are taking part.
• About 104 people in Rochester who took part in the study reported in NEJM are taking part in an ongoing study; they received a third dose of the vaccine in the fall.
• About 40 people from the 1998 study are taking part in another study of a "booster shot." They received a third shot of the vaccine in November 2005, so scientists can measure how well a booster shot delivered years later affects a patient's immunity against the virus.
• Rochester is one of four sites of a study of 600 people testing alum as part of the vaccine in people ages 18 to 49. Approximately 150 people in the Rochester area will take part.
• Rochester is one of six sites of a study of 600 people testing alum as part of the vaccine in people age 65 and older. Approximately 100 people in the Rochester area will take part.

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Contact: Tom Rickey
tom_rickey@urmc.rochester.edu
585-275-7954
University of Rochester Medical Center
29-Mar-2006