Hutterite Influenza Prevention Study

Summary

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to determine whether immunizing children in Hutterite colonies with inactivated influenza vaccine can prevent influenza and its complications in other colony members. Furthermore, the study will assess the indirect benefit to Hutterites at high risk of complications. The study is a blinded, cluster randomized controlled trial among Hutterite colonies to test the hypothesis that high immunization rates (\>70%) of healthy children with inactivated influenza vaccine reduces transmission of influenza to other colony members. Randomization of these homogeneous, moderately sized colonies where there is regular spread facilitated by a communal lifestyle, but limited re-introduction because of relative isolation from outside community, represents a unique opportunity to test the hypothesis of indirect benefit under close to ideal conditions. The primary outcome will be laboratory-confirmed influenza. Secondary outcomes include influenza-like illness, otitis media, physician visits, antimicrobial prescriptions, absenteeism, lower respiratory tract infection, hospitalizations, and death.

Timeline

Start

2008-09

Primary completion

2011-05

Completion

2011-07

Publications

• Wang B, Russell ML, Moss L, Fonseca K, Earn DJ, Aoki F, Horsman G, Caeseele PV, Chokani K, Vooght M, Babiuk L, Webby R, Walter SD, Loeb M. Effect of Influenza Vaccination of Children on Infection Rate in Hutterite Communities: Follow-Up Study of a Randomized Trial. PLoS One. 2016 Dec 15;11(12):e0167281. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167281. eCollection 2016.
• Loeb M, Russell ML, Fonseca K, Webby R, Walter SD. Comparison of multiple estimates of efficacy for influenza vaccine. Vaccine. 2011 Dec 9;30(1):1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.10.069. Epub 2011 Nov 7.
• Loeb M, Russell ML, Moss L, Fonseca K, Fox J, Earn DJ, Aoki F, Horsman G, Van Caeseele P, Chokani K, Vooght M, Babiuk L, Webby R, Walter SD. Effect of influenza vaccination of children on infection rates in Hutterite communities: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2010 Mar 10;303(10):943-50. doi: 10.1001/jama.2010.250.

Drugs

Indications