In the placebo group, the fever lasted on average 4.9 days. Researchers targeted healthy young children because they experience the highest incidence of influenza disease and are an important source of its spread. The nasal spray vaccine is made from a weakened influenza virus. It is designed to stimulate antibodies in the nasal passage that protect against naturally acquired infection. The flu affects up to 50 million people a year in the United States.
Epidemics usually occur between late fall and early spring.
More than 20,000 people die from influenza and its complications each year. Calif. The company has named the new product FluMist . Scientists at the University of Michigan, NIH and Aviron developed the new vaccine.