Article Summary: Partial protection of seasonal trivalent inactivated vaccine against novel pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009

According to the findings of a case-control study published in the BMJ, contrary to earlier speculation, some level of cross protection against the new influenza A/H1N1 virus may be provided by the 2008-9 seasonal flu vaccine.

The study was conducted in a Specialty hospital in Mexico City from March to May 2009 and involved 60 patients with laboratory confirmed influenza A/H1N1. They were compared with 180 controls with other diseases (not influenza-like illness or pneumonia) living in Mexico City or the State of Mexico, matched for age and ...