No, the vaccines are purified and treated to remove any such contaminants. Any bacteria mixed in with the virus and vaccine medium would not be helpful, the multi-use vials of vaccines contain preservatives to prevent bacterial growth.
The H1N1/09 influenza is caused by a virus. Some particles of "dead" H1N1/09 virus (or in some types of the vaccines-weakened live virus), are the active ingredient in the vaccines that make our bodies become immune to that specific virus. Bacteria play no role in this process.
No, the H1N1 virus does not contain carcinogens.
No, the "pneumonia vaccine" is to protect against several types of pneumonia that are common and will not protect against the A-H1N1/09 virus. See related questions below.
No, see below for the list of ingredients. It has been proven to be a safe and effective product to use to avoid the A-H1N1/09 flu and its symptoms and complications.
There have been several versions of H1N1 influenza over the years. But the most recent H1N1 flu was the pandemic "Swine Flu" A-H1N1/09. The monovalent (made with and for protection against a single virus) vaccine for it was made just before the flu season in fall/winter 2009-2010. Again, in the 2010-2011 flu season the same vaccine was included in the trivalent (made with three viruses) vaccine for the seasonal flu. If you had the monovalent vaccine in 2009, then you should still take the trivalent vaccine for the 2010 flu season. It will not hurt to get another dose of the H1N1/09 virus vaccine, it might enhance the immunity of some people, and you need to be vaccinated for the other two viruses that are most likely to be going around in this season.
The pandemic H1N1/09 virus was not discovered by one doctor, but was isolated and studied by a team of CDC scientists and WHO scientists along with the Mexican health authorities as a joint effort.
For H1N1/09, Novel Swine Flu: they began developing the vaccine in the US as soon as the virus was isolated and the epidemics were spreading in April and May 2009. The vaccines were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 15, 2009. Other H1N1 vaccines: these have been developed in the past. One that is well known is the 1976 vaccine that was associated with an increase in Guillain-Barre Syndrome after the administration of the vaccine. It was made an entirely different way than these flu vaccines are made today. There are also some H1N1 vaccines developed for use by pig farmers for the prevention of the type of H1N1 that is a disease of pigs that people only rarely get when they are in regular close contact with the pigs.
The seasonal flu shots for the 2009-2010 flu season in the Northern Hemisphere do not contain the vaccine for Pandemic A-H1N1/09 Swine Flu.To be fully protected from influenza this season, you will need to take the regular seasonal flu shot and then also another shot of the Pandemic A-H1N1/09 Swine Flu vaccine. Children will need two shots of the swine flu vaccine a month apart if they are under ten.As of today, September 16, 2009, the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is just finishing approvals for use of the new A-H1N1/09 Pandemic flu vaccine. It is not yet on the market, so if you are being told it is in the flu shot already out, then they are mistaken.There are different strains of the H1N1 virus and one of them is a typical and frequently seen seasonal flu strain. The 2009 - 2010 seasonal flu vaccine does contain a strain of H1N1 flu that is not the same as the A-H1N1/09 Pandemic swine flu. So it is likely that which has caused the confusion in this case.The seasonal flu vaccine for the 2009-2010 flu season contains the following strains of virus :A/Brisbane/59/2007(H1N1)-like virus;A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus;B/Brisbane 60/2008-like antigens.
LAIV - Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine for Type A H1N1/09 influenza. In the US, you could add that it is FDA Approved (Food and Drug Administration, the US licensing agent for prescription drugs.)
The H1N1/09 vaccine can be given to children over the age of 6 months. It will usually take two doses of vaccine approximately a month apart for children 10 and under to build up their immunity. Adults and children over 10 usually only need one vaccination. There are formulas of the vaccine available in nasal spray and for injection, see related questions below about which is better for whom. In the US, the seasonal flu shot for the upcoming flu season (2010 -2011) will include the vaccine for the pandemic H1N1/09 virus, so there will not be a need for two vaccinations like there was last season. See more information about the vaccine in the related questions section below. You can also browse the H1N1 category where there many more answers about the vaccinations (many are also included in the category for vaccinations).
In the US and Northern Hemisphere in the 2011-2012 flu season, the H1N1/09 (swine flu) vaccine is included in the "regular" seasonal flu vaccination. There is currently (fall 2011) no shortage of this vaccine and no shortage is expected this year. The states are no longer holding and distributing swine flu vaccine and the seasonal flu vaccinations are back to being provided by various private pharmacies and other locations, such as a doctor's office. States are no longer storing H1N1 vaccines.
This year's vaccine does contain Type A, H1N1/09 vaccine made from the specific type (i.e., mutation) of the H1N1/09 virus that is expected to circulate in the US in flu season this year. That specific strain is called: A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus The vaccines made from the other two selected influenza strains that are in the 2012-2013 flu vaccines in the US contain: A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus (from the B/Yamagata lineage of viruses)
It is caused by a virus called A-H1N1/09 influenza virus (aka swine flu).