Alternative live attenuated influenza vaccine strategies

According to CDC, influenza vaccination is the most effective method to reduce the impact of influenza and its severe complications in the human population. The current killed virus (KV) and live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) vaccines are trivalent or quadravalent products, aimed at providing protection against H1 and H3 influenza A subtypes and influenza type B. Influenza reverse genetics (RG), produced from recombinant plasmid DNA, has changed the way seed stocks of influenza vaccines can be prepared. Unfortunately, animal productions systems, particularly commercial swine and poultry systems that remain as major threats in the generation of potentially pandemic influenza strains, have not taken advantage of this new technology. This is particularly the case of LAIV vaccines that are thought (and many times proven) to be more effective than KV vaccines or its sub-products. Use of live attenuated vaccines contributed to the eradication of small pox and the almost complete eradication of polio. Live attenuated viruses have also been used for the eradication or control of animal diseases such as Rinderpest and rabies. In the past few years, the Perez lab has placed significant effort in studying alternative strategies aimed at generating LAIV vaccines against swine influenza and avian influenza. In this presentation, Dr. Perez will be discussing past and current research efforts in this area and options for moving forward.