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Federal health officials have stated that children between age 10 and age 17 will likely need only one dose of a vaccine for protection against H1N1, although younger children will likely need two doses, the Wall Street Journal reports. The findings are based on early results from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study that began last month and is assessing the immune response of 600 children given either one or two doses of a 15-microgram dose, which is the same dose used in seasonal vaccines, or a 30-microgram dose of a 2009 H1N1 vaccine by assessing blood samples. Preliminary results showed that 76 percent of 25 children between age 10 and age 17 had a strong immune response within eight to 10 days of receiving a 15-milligram dose of the vaccine, compared with 36 percent of children between age 3 and age 9 and 25 percent of children between 6 months and 35 months. In light of the findings, the Food and Drug Administration's chief scientist said that the current dosing recommendations for seasonal flu shots will likely be the same for the H1N1 flu vaccine. Currently, children age 10 and older and adults receive one dose of a seasonal flu shot, while children age 9 and younger receive two doses at least 21 days apart if they are receiving a flu shot for the first time. The findings follow data released recently by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggesting that one dose of the H1N1 vaccine provides a powerful antibody response in healthy adults (Dooren, Wall Street Journal, 9/22/09 [subscription required]; Norman, CQ HealthBeat, 9/21/09 [subscription required]; NIH release, 9/21/09).