The Biggest Issue Facing the Successful Production of Influenza Vaccines

Question

The biggest issue facing the successful production of influenza vaccines is that ________.
A) flu virus populations evolve rapidly
B) flu vaccines can take months to prepare
C) researchers must successfully predict which flu strain(s) will survive from among the existing strains to become the next season's epidemic
D) All of these are serious issues.
E) Generalized vaccines are easy to produce; none of these are serious issues.

Accepted Answer

All of the options listed are serious issues facing the successful production of influenza vaccines. The flu virus populations are known to evolve rapidly, which can diminish the effectiveness of a particular vaccine. Making flu vaccines can be time-consuming since they need to be prepared months before the flu season. Researchers must try to predict which flu strains are likely to become the next season’s epidemic. These are fundamental issues that can make it difficult to produce effective vaccines against the flu.