#Immunity to #hemagglutinin and #neuraminidase results in additive reductions in #airborne #transmission of #influenza #H1N1 virus in #ferrets
Abstract Currently, there is limited knowledge on the impact of immunity to hemagglutinin (HA) and/or neuraminidase (NA) on the transmission of influenza viruses . Therefore, using intramuscular vaccination , intranasal vaccination , or infection with reassortant viruses , we induced immunity to each antigen alone or both antigens combined in ferrets . We then assessed transmission of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus from these ferrets to naĂ¯ve respiratory contacts . For all strategies used to induce immunity, combined immunity to HA and NA resulted in the largest reductions in transmission . Moreover, immunity to HA and NA conferred additive rather than synergistic reductions in transmission. No escape variants emerged in our transmission studies, and logistical regression showed that the probability of transmission was less than 50% when viral titers in donors were reduced to 101.5 and 102 median tissue culture infectious dose per ml on days 1 and 3 postinfection, respectively. The...