Influenza vaccine

Trivalent 1998-1999 flu vaccine formulation should include A/Sydney/05/97-like strain rather than A/Wuhan/359/95-like strain as the H3N2 component, FDA's Vaccines & Related Biological Products Advisory Committee recommends March 23. An estimated 77.7% of Type A H3N2 influenza in the U.S. this season has been Sydney-like. The H1N1 component will be A/Beijing/262/95-like, a change from the A/Bayern/07/95-like strain. The committee voted in January to keep the influenza B component as B/Harbin/07/94 ("The Pink Sheet" Feb. 2, In Brief)