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To: Judith Anne
The antigen characterization is listed in CDC Weekly reports.

In the latest report:

"Antigenic Characterization: CDC has antigenically characterized 157 influenza A (H3N2) viruses collected by U.S. laboratories since October 1 and found that 45 (29%) were similar antigenically to the vaccine strain A/Panama/2007/99 (H3N2), and 112 (71%) were similar to the drift variant, A/Fujian/411/2002 (H3N2). The A/Fujian strain predominated in Australia and New Zealand during the recent Southern Hemisphere influenza season and is a drift variant related to the vaccine strain, A/Panama/2007/99. Antibodies produced against the vaccine virus cross-react with A/Fujian/411/2002-like viruses, but at a lower level than against A/Panama/2007/99 (H3N2). Vaccine effectiveness depends, in part, on the match between vaccine strains and circulating viruses and cannot be determined by laboratory testing. Although vaccine effectiveness against A/Fujian/411/2002-like viruses may be less than that against A/Panama/2007/99-like viruses, it is expected that the current U.S. vaccine will offer some cross-protective immunity against the A/Fujian/411/2002-like viruses and reduce the severity of disease. One influenza A(H1N1) virus was antigenically characterized and was similar to the vaccine strain A/New Caledonia/20/99. "

19 posted on 12/08/2003 8:20:13 PM PST by torstars
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To: torstars
I apologize for seeming lazy, I'm doing two things at once tonight, and one of them is FReeping...did the statistic you gave earlier, about the 80% Fujian strain, come from the CDC?
21 posted on 12/08/2003 8:28:38 PM PST by Judith Anne (Send a message to the Democrat traitors--ROCKEFELLER MUST RESIGN!)
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