Safety and immunogenicity of a respiratory syncytial virus subunit vaccine (PFP-2) in the institutionalized elderly

The safety and immunogenicity of purified fusion protein (PFP-2) respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine was evaluated in an open label study in 37 frail institutionalized persons over age 65. Vaccination was well tolerated without significant side-effects. Thirty-six of 37 volunteers completed the study. Nineteen of 36 (53%) vaccinees had a greater than or equal to fourfold increase in IgG to F protein at 4 weeks and 17 (47%) had a greater than or equal to fourfold rise in neutralizing titers to either group A or B virus. Although response rate to PFP-2 vaccine in the frail elderly was somewhat diminished compared to results in the healthy elderly, the vaccine was well tolerated and relatively immunogenic.