Muscle Mist

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Admin
Muscle Mist

Muscle Mist

A major advance in the ability to fight off infections due to influenza viruses, or numerous other diseases, was the development of vaccines. Being immunized against any influenza virus dramatically increases the ability of the body to prevent getting the infection. Over the last several years, vaccine research has provided an alternative immunization method to the standard injectable flu shot, a nasal spray based vaccine. How are they different and how does this effect the choice of using one over the other?

The Flu Shot

Every year, the population faces what is known as the seasonal influenza. This year, the stakes have been raised because of the emergence of the so-called Type A H1N1 2009 influenza, or swine flu 2009. For many years, immunization against influenza has been undertaken using flu shots, where the person receives an intramuscular injection, usually in the upper arm muscles. The flu shot contains a suspension of killed influenza virus particles, what is otherwise known as “inactivated virus vaccine.” The immune system reacts to the components found in the killed virus and develops an immune response.

The likelihood of specific seasonal flu viruses changes every year. There are numerous different types of influenza viruses. Influenza specialists around the world watch for and predict what “strains” of flu virus are most likely to be prevalent in a given year and based on those recommendations vaccine production is undertaken. This happens every year and these injectable inactivated virus vaccines are made by the same general process.