Despite early predictions that a swine flu vaccine would require multiple doses, an Australian study released last week in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that one dose of the vaccine stimulates an appropriate immune response.

As a result, more people may be able to be vaccinated including the high risk groups that will be targeted first: pregnant women, health care workers, people with high risk conditions like asthma, children, and people caring for infants that are not able to be vaccinated.

While many patients reported tenderness and soreness at the injection site, no serious side effects or death occurred. Overall, the side effect profile appeared similar to that which is seen with the seasonal flu vaccine. However, this is a relatively short term follow-up and monitoring will continue.

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