Fluzone

Fluzone is typically administered in a single dose by intramuscular injection;[1] an intradermal injection is also available.[2] It is presented as a 0.25 ml syringe for pediatric use, as a 0.5 ml syringe for adults and children, as a 0.5 ml vial for adults and children, and as a 5 ml vial for adults and children.[1] Fluzone must be refrigerated under temperatures from 2 to 8 °C (36 to 46 °F) and is inactivated by freezing. Fluzone was initially approved in 1980 by the FDA.[1]

The following adverse effects have been reported:[1]

• Mild soreness, local pain and swelling at the local of the injection
• In small children and in people with no previous exposure to a flu vaccine, episodes of fever, malaise, myalgia (muscle pain)
• In people who are sensitive to egg protein, allergic reactions may ensue, such as hives, angioedema, asthma and anaphylaxis

A high-dose vaccine (Fluzone High-Dose) four times the strength of standard flu vaccine was approved by the FDA in 2009.[3][4] This vaccine is intended for people 65 and over, who typically have weakened immune response due to normal aging. The vaccine produces a greater immune response than standard vaccine. According to the CDC,[5] "a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine[6] [in August, 2014] indicated that the high-dose vaccine was 24.2% more effective in preventing flu in adults 65 years of age and older relative to a standard-dose vaccine." CDC recommends the high-dose vaccine for people 65 and over but expresses no preference between it and standard vaccine. Further studies were underway as of 2014.

• Fluzone web site
• Fluzone Trivalent Vaccine. RxMed.