Antigenic assessment of the H3N2 component of the 2019-2020 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine

Nat Commun. 2020 May 15;11(1):2445. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16183-y.

Abstract

The 2019-2020 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine includes antigens from 3c3.A H3N2 viruses; however, over half of circulating H3N2 viruses belong to subclade 3c2.A1b. Here, we analyze antibody responses elicited by the egg-adapted 3c3.A H3N2 vaccine strain in ferrets and humans. We find that this vaccine strain elicits antibodies that have reduced reactivity to a wild-type 3c3.A strain and very limited reactivity to 3c2.A strains, including the currently circulating 3c2.A1b strain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Antigens, Viral / chemistry
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • Ferrets / immunology
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / immunology
  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / immunology*
  • Influenza Vaccines / immunology*
  • Ovum / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus
  • Influenza Vaccines