abstract
- Cell cultures were performed with the blood of children, adults and umbilical cords in an examination of the effects of influenza vaccines. Commercially prepared whole virus vaccines containing swine +/- human virus antigens had a stimulatory effect upon peripheral blood lymphocytes of children but not adults. The stimulatory effect was shown to be retained by a fraction of whole influenza virus vaccine, but not subunit virus vaccine, is known to stimulation of blood lymphocytes by commercial subunit vaccines of either monovalent swine influenza or a trivalent composition. Immunization with whole influenza virus vaccine, but not subunit virus vaccine, is known to produce a high incidence of generalized reactions in children but not adults. The lymphocyte stimulation observed here may represent an in vitro counterpart of the in vivo reactions.