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Influenza Immunity in Children

Understanding How the Initial Encounter With Influenza Virus Poises Children for Protective Immunity

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02559505
Enrollment
134
Registered
2015-09-24
Start date
2015-10-31
Completion date
2020-07-03
Last updated
2021-09-02

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Influenza

Keywords

natural influenza infection, live attenuated influenza vaccination (LAIV), inactivated influenza vaccination (IIV), infants, children

Brief summary

This study evaluates how different methods of early exposure to influenza (natural infection, live attenuated influenza vaccination, inactivated influenza vaccination) initially stimulate immunity and poise the immune system to respond to a future challenge with the inactivated influenza vaccine.

Detailed description

The proposed research addresses the fact that, despite high childhood morbidity from influenza and broad recommendations for vaccination, very little is known about how anti-influenza immunity is shaped by the method of initial exposure. The objective of this research is to understand how CD4 T cell and B cell responses are altered by the method of initial influenza priming, with the long-term goal of determining how a child's initial influenza encounter poises the immune system to respond to subsequent influenza challenges. The investigators central hypothesis is that differences in the mode of influenza antigen exposure in early childhood will generate long lasting, detectable changes in memory CD4 T cell and B cell specificity and function that influence the response to future influenza vaccinations and infections. This hypothesis will be tested by comparing 1) CD4 T cell and 2) antibody responses in cohorts of children initially exposed to influenza through either natural infection or inactivated or live attenuated vaccination. A combination of multiparameter assays will be used to determine the phenotype and functional potential of hemagglutinin (HA)- and nucleoprotein (NP)-specific CD4 T cells. The breadth and avidity of the neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibody responses and its distribution against head and stalk epitopes will also be evaluated. By determining how initial priming shapes the specificity and functional potential of the anti-influenza CD4 T cell and antibody responses, the investigators will gain the knowledge necessary to optimize current influenza vaccination strategies and develop novel influenza vaccines able to provide highly efficacious universal protection against both seasonal and potentially pandemic viral strains.

Interventions

BIOLOGICALSeasonal IIV 0.25 mL dose

Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age

OTHERNatural influenza infection

Children enrolled on presentation to their primary care provider with a natural influenza infection

BIOLOGICALSeasonal IIV 0.5 mL dose

Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age

Sponsors

University of Rochester
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
3 Months to 8 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Age * Between 6 and 12 months to participate in the vaccination arm of cohort 1 (cohort 1A) * Between 3 and 12 months to participate in the natural infection arm of cohort 1 (cohort 1B) * Between 13 and 35 months of age to participate in either the vaccination or natural infection arm of cohort 2 * Between 36 months and 5 years of age to participate in either the vaccination or natural infection arm of cohort 3 * Between 6 years and 8 years of age to participate in either the vaccination or natural infection arm of cohort 4 * Gestational age of ≥37 weeks at birth * Parent/guardian can provide informed consent * Available for the duration of the study * History of previous IIV administration ONLY for participation in the vaccination arm of cohorts 2, 3, or 4 * Acute illness documented to be due to influenza virus ONLY for participation in the natural infection arms of cohorts 1-4

Exclusion criteria

* Immunosuppression as a result of an underlying illness or condition (including HIV or a primary immunodeficiency syndrome) * Active neoplastic disease * Use of potentially immunosuppressive medications currently or within the past year (including chemotherapeutic agents) or chronic (\>2 weeks) use of oral or inhaled steroid therapy * A diagnosis of asthma requiring chronic controller medication * Previous administration of influenza vaccine in the current influenza season ONLY for subjects receiving an influenza vaccination * Receipt of immunoglobulin or another blood product within the year prior to study enrollment * An acute illness within the previous 3 days or temperature \>38o on screening EXCEPT for participation in the natural infection arms of cohorts 1-4 * A contraindication to influenza vaccination EXCEPT infants between 3 and 5 months presenting with natural influenza infection whose only contraindication is their current age

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsVisit 2 (day 8-14 post enrollment)% H3- and nucleoprotein (NP)-specific CD4 T cells were measured using intracellular cytokine staining

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsBaseline to day 24 study year 1CD4 T cell quantity and specificity will be measured using intracellular cytokine staining. We report here the mean change in percent of cells reactive to the influenza HA protein and H3 protein.

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change From Baseline to Day 10 and Day 24 in PBMC Gene ExpressionDays 10 and 24 post vaccinationChanges in PBMC gene expression patterns due to prior influenza exposure will be assessed using RNA-seq analysis

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
6-12 Months of Age: Vaccinated
Children 6 - 12 months of age vaccinated with seasonal IIV Seasonal IIV 0.25 mL dose: Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age
13
3-12 Months of Age: Acute
Children 3-12 months of age presenting with natural influenza infection Natural influenza infection: Children enrolled on presentation to their primary care provider with a natural influenza infection Seasonal IIV 0.5 mL dose: Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age
8
13-35 Months of Age: Vaccinated
Children 13-35 months of age vaccinated with seasonal IIV Seasonal IIV 0.25 mL dose: Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age
30
13-35 Months of Age: Acute
Children 13-35 months of age presenting with natural influenza infection Natural influenza infection: Children enrolled on presentation to their primary care provider with a natural influenza infection Seasonal IIV 0.5 mL dose: Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age
19
3-5 Years of Age: Vaccinated
Children 3-5 years of age vaccinated with seasonal IIV Seasonal IIV 0.5 mL dose: Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age
18
3-5 Years of Age: Acute
Children 3-5 years of age presenting with natural influenza infection Natural influenza infection: Children enrolled on presentation to their primary care provider with a natural influenza infection Seasonal IIV 0.5 mL dose: Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age
12
6-8 Years of Age: Vaccinated
Children 6-8 years of age vaccinated with seasonal IIV Seasonal IIV 0.5 mL dose: Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age
23
6-8 Years of Age: Acute
Children 6-8 years of age presenting with natural influenza infection Natural influenza infection: Children enrolled on presentation to their primary care provider with a natural influenza infection Seasonal IIV 0.5 mL dose: Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) 0.25 mL administered intramuscularly to children between 6 and 35 months of age
9
Total132

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up2320
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject42

Baseline characteristics

Characteristic6-12 Months of Age: VaccinatedTotal6-8 Years of Age: Acute6-8 Years of Age: Vaccinated3-5 Years of Age: Acute3-5 Years of Age: Vaccinated13-35 Months of Age: Acute13-35 Months of Age: Vaccinated3-12 Months of Age: Acute
Age, Customized13 participants132 participants9 participants23 participants12 participants18 participants19 participants30 participants8 participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
3 Participants15 Participants3 Participants0 Participants2 Participants0 Participants4 Participants3 Participants0 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
10 Participants117 Participants6 Participants23 Participants10 Participants18 Participants15 Participants27 Participants8 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants1 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants1 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
4 Participants39 Participants5 Participants1 Participants3 Participants0 Participants11 Participants12 Participants3 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
2 Participants25 Participants1 Participants7 Participants0 Participants4 Participants3 Participants7 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants5 Participants1 Participants0 Participants1 Participants0 Participants2 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
6 Participants62 Participants2 Participants15 Participants8 Participants14 Participants3 Participants10 Participants4 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
13 participants132 participants9 participants23 participants12 participants18 participants19 participants30 participants8 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
9 Participants64 Participants6 Participants10 Participants6 Participants8 Participants8 Participants14 Participants3 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
4 Participants68 Participants3 Participants13 Participants6 Participants10 Participants11 Participants16 Participants5 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
EG003
affected / at risk
EG004
affected / at risk
EG005
affected / at risk
EG006
affected / at risk
EG007
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 130 / 80 / 300 / 190 / 180 / 120 / 230 / 9
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 130 / 80 / 300 / 190 / 180 / 120 / 230 / 9
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 130 / 80 / 300 / 190 / 180 / 120 / 230 / 9

Outcome results

Primary

Mean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated Subjects

% H3- and nucleoprotein (NP)-specific CD4 T cells were measured using intracellular cytokine staining

Time frame: Visit 2 (day 8-14 post enrollment)

Population: 6 acute participants were infected with influenza strains that were not H3 and therefore were not included in the data analyzed for the primary outcome. Only vaccinated participants that age matched to the acute subjects were analyzed, resulting in 16 acutely infected and 28 vaccinated subjects included in the data analysis.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein.010 percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0023
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 protein0.009 percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0019
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.003 percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0018
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 protein0.002 percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0015
p-value: 0.005ANCOVA
p-value: 0.024ANCOVA
Primary

Mean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated Subjects

% H3- and nucleoprotein (NP)-specific CD4 T cells were measured using intracellular cytokine staining

Time frame: Visit 3 (day 20-28 post enrollment)

Population: 6 acute participants were infected with influenza strains that were not H3 and therefore were not included in the data analyzed for the primary outcome. Only vaccinated participants that age matched to the acute subjects were analyzed, resulting in 16 acutely infected and 28 vaccinated subjects included in the data analysis.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.012 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0025
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 Protein0.006 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0021
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.003 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0017
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 Protein0.004 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0014
p-value: 0.408ANCOVA
p-value: 0.004ANCOVA
Primary

Mean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated Subjects

% H3- and nucleoprotein (NP)-specific CD4 T cells were measured using intracellular cytokine staining

Time frame: Visit 4 (day of vaccination year 2)

Population: 6 acute participants were infected with influenza strains that were not H3 and therefore were not included in the data analyzed for the primary outcome. Only vaccinated participants that age matched to the acute subjects were analyzed, resulting in 16 acutely infected and 28 vaccinated subjects included in the data analysis.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.003 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.003
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 Protein0.007 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0022
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.003 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0018
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 Protein0.003 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0015
p-value: 0.991ANCOVA
p-value: 0.334ANCOVA
Primary

Mean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated Subjects

% H3 protein- and nucleoprotein (NP)-specific CD4 T cells were measured using intracellular cytokine staining

Time frame: Visit 5 (day 8-14 post-vaccination year 2)

Population: 6 acute participants were infected with influenza strains that were not H3 and therefore were not included in the data analyzed for the primary outcome. Only vaccinated participants that age matched to the acute subjects were analyzed, resulting in 16 acutely infected and 28 vaccinated subjects included in the data analysis.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.010 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0031
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 Protein0.008 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0026
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.003 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0018
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 Protein0.004 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0015
p-value: 0.226ANCOVA
p-value: 0.036ANCOVA
Primary

Mean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated Subjects

% H3 Protein- and nucleoprotein (NP)-specific CD4 T cells were measured using intracellular cytokine staining

Time frame: Visit 6 (day 20-28 post-vaccination year 2)

Population: 6 acute participants were infected with influenza strains that were not H3 and therefore were not included in the data analyzed for the primary outcome. Only vaccinated participants that age matched to the acute subjects were analyzed, resulting in 16 acutely infected and 28 vaccinated subjects included in the data analysis.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.014 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0029
Acute InfectedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 Protein0.008 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0024
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsNucleoprotein0.003 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0019
VaccinatedMean Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Acute (H3N2) Infected and Vaccinated SubjectsH3 Protein0.007 Percentage of T cellsStandard Deviation 0.0015
p-value: 0.68ANCOVA
p-value: 0.002ANCOVA
Secondary

Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age Subsets

CD4 T cell quantity and specificity will be measured using intracellular cytokine staining. We report here the mean change in percent of cells reactive to the influenza HA protein and H3 protein.

Time frame: Baseline to day 24 study year 1

Population: Statistical analysis was completed on all patients who attended all six clinical visits in addition to those who had 3 or more visits that had withdrawn later.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Acute InfectedMean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsHAB0.00112 Mean Percent changeStandard Deviation 0.0029
Acute InfectedMean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsH30.0006729 Mean Percent changeStandard Deviation 0.0017802
VaccinatedMean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsH30.0002589 Mean Percent changeStandard Deviation 0.005017
VaccinatedMean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsHAB0.00497 Mean Percent changeStandard Deviation 0.00966
Vaccinated Age Subset (3-5 yr)Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsHAB0.00622 Mean Percent changeStandard Deviation 0.01098
Vaccinated Age Subset (3-5 yr)Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsH30.0053456 Mean Percent changeStandard Deviation 0.0101449
Vaccinated Age Subset (6-8 yr)Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsHAB0.01713 Mean Percent changeStandard Deviation 0.02657
Vaccinated Age Subset (6-8 yr)Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsH30.001674 Mean Percent changeStandard Deviation 0.008319
Secondary

Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age Subsets

CD4 T cell quantity and specificity will be measured using intracellular cytokine staining. We report here the mean change in percent of cells reactive to the influenza HA protein and H3 protein.

Time frame: Baseline to day 24 study year 2

Population: Statistical analysis was completed on all patients who attended all six clinical visits in addition to those who had 3 or more visits that had withdrawn later.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Acute InfectedMean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsHAB0.00552 Mean Percent ChangeStandard Deviation 0.01436
Acute InfectedMean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsH30.00350 Mean Percent ChangeStandard Deviation 0.00372
VaccinatedMean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsH30.00177 Mean Percent ChangeStandard Deviation 0.00371
VaccinatedMean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsHAB0.00331 Mean Percent ChangeStandard Deviation 0.01216
Vaccinated Age Subset (3-5 yr)Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsHAB0.00003 Mean Percent ChangeStandard Deviation 0.01096
Vaccinated Age Subset (3-5 yr)Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsH30.00188 Mean Percent ChangeStandard Deviation 0.0065
Vaccinated Age Subset (6-8 yr)Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsHAB0.005698 Mean Percent ChangeStandard Deviation 0.01729
Vaccinated Age Subset (6-8 yr)Mean Change in Percent of IFNg+ CD69+ CD4 T Cells Between Vaccinated Subjects in Different Age SubsetsH3-0.0017093 Mean Percent ChangeStandard Deviation 0.01015
Other Pre-specified

Change From Baseline to Day 10 and Day 24 in PBMC Gene Expression

Changes in PBMC gene expression patterns due to prior influenza exposure will be assessed using RNA-seq analysis

Time frame: Days 10 and 24 post vaccination

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 17, 2026