need of antiviral for seasonal

Seasonal shot may not be as effective

The Associated Press contributed to this report. | Tribune Newspapers
July 28, 2009

As if the world didn't have enough problems in developing a vaccine against the new H1N1 influenza virus, commonly known as swine flu, reports from the Southern Hemisphere suggest there may be problems with the seasonal flu vaccine that has been produced for this winter's flu season.

The Canadian Press reports that some laboratory tests indicate there is a new strain of the H3N2 flu virus -- one of three strains included in the flu vaccine -- that is different from the A/Brisbane/10 strain of H3N2 that was selected for the vaccine. If that is the case, the vaccine will provide less protection than authorities had hoped.

The new strain has shown up in only a few laboratory tests, but that may be because labs have looked so hard at swine flu isolates that they have had little time to study seasonal flu, which is perceived as less threatening.