Afluria
This is a trivalent flu vaccine
For a more detailed explanation of some of the ingredients, see this article: https://www.wired.com/2014/11/whats-inside-flu-shot/
Ingredients:
Active ingredients:
3 types of inactivated influenza (flu) virus:
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H1N1
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H3N2
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Victoria lineage​
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Afluria is approved to be given as both a normal shot (6 months+) and through a needle-free jet injector (ages 18-65).
Inactive ingredients:
Amounts are based on a 0.5 mL dose
Salts: help maintain the stability and pH of the vaccine
Preservatives: prevent bacterial growth and contamination
*Thimerosal is only in multi-dose vials of flu vaccines, which means that one vial of vaccine contains multiple doses. As a result, the container would be reused, so it needs a preservative to prevent contamination between the different uses from the same vial.
Antibiotics: used to prevent contamination during manufacturing
Carbohydrates: normally used as stabilizers in vaccines
Other:
Relevant Terms
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Antibiotics: substances that kill bacteria or prevent them from dividing. Antibiotics are used in some vaccines to prevent contamination during the manufacturing process
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Carbohydrates: another word for sugar
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pH: a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is. The scale ranges from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very basic). A pH of 7 is neutral.
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Trivalent: Protects against three different versions of the pathogen (in this case, influenza virus)
Sources
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Package insert: https://www.fda.gov/media/81559/download
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Trivalent: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccine-types/trivalent.html
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General:
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Serotype: https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/reportspubs/salmonella-atlas/serotyping-importance.html
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Antibiotics:
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Neomycin Sulfate: ​​​
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Polymyxin B:
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Sodium chloride: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sodium-salt-and-you
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Sugar:
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Ovalbumin:
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Hydrocortisone:
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Thimerosal:
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Sodium phosphate:
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Potassium phosphate:
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Potassium chloride:
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Sodium taurodeoxycholate:
Last updated: Apr. 16, 2025