Department of Defense Midseason Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates for the 2017-2018 Influenza Season
Abstract
The 20172018 influenza season has been a topic of interest in the media and among the general public due to concerns about the protective nature of the 20172018 influenza vaccine. During the Southern Hemispheres winter influenza season in mid-2017, Australias overall influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) was surprisingly low at 33% (95% CI, 17% 46%). More specifically, Australia reported an influenza A(H3) VE of 10% (95% CI, -16%31%), which was not statistically significantly different from zero. These findings prompted concerns about the prospect of a similarly low VE during the subsequent influenza season in the Northern Hemisphere, as Australia and the U.S. selected identical vaccine strains. The Department of Defense (DoD) conducts VE analyses to determine the extent of matching between the recommended seasonal vaccine and the circulating strain. This article reports the results of DoD VE mid-season estimates determined by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch (AFHSB) Air Force (AFHSB-AF) satellite at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine; Naval Health Research Center (NHRC); and the AFHSB.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 29, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1072929
Entities
People
- Angelia A. Eick-cost
- Anthony W. Hawksworth
- Christopher A. Myers
- Hu Zheng
- Leeanne Lynch
- Lisa Shoubaki
- Susan Federinko
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center