A new flu shot made without eggs is an option for adults with severe egg allergies.  Current flu shots use viruses grown in eggs, but the new version utilizes a cell technology that is used to develop other vaccines.  It is unclear how many people with egg allergies will now get their flu shot.  Regardless of the magnitude of the impact, it offers the potential to increase access to the flu shot and decrease the incidence of influenza.

Egg allergies are one of the most common food allergies in the U.S.  It affects approximately 0.2 percent of Americans, or over 600,000 Americans.  Reactions are generally skin-based, with minor conditions such as hives, but can also include nasal inflammation or digestive problems.  Rarely, there are more serious reactions such as anaphylaxis, which can result in death.  Egg allergies are most common in children, but most grow out of the allergy in adolescence.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seasonal influenza is a viral, contagious, respiratory illness.  Certain populations, such as the elderly, young children, and those with compromised immune systems, are more at risk for contracting the virus.  The illness ranges in severity, but certain health conditions can complicate the virus, and there is a small risk of death.  Every year, about 20 percent of Americans get the flu and more than 200,000 are hospitalized.  Anywhere from 3,000 to 49,000 deaths can be attributed to the flu.

The flu season begins as early as October and runs through May.  Flu shots are the best means of protections against the virus.  Health professionals recommend getting the flu shot as early as September to prepare for the upcoming flu season.  There are four types of flu vaccines: 1) the traditional flu shot; 2) a high-dose flu shot approved for individuals above 65; 3) an intradermal flu shot that uses a smaller needle; and 4) a nasal spray that is a live, weakened flu  virus that does not cause the flu.

The new form of the flu shot also does not use the flu virus.  Instead, it makes the virus with an insect virus expression system and recombinant DNA technology.  A study of the vaccine in 2,300 participants found that, as compared with a placebo, the vaccine was about 44 percent effective in preventing against all strains of influenza that were currently circulating.