Influenza and pneumococcus vaccination: current recommendations

Year 2016, Special Issue: 3 Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, 26 - 31, 27.11.2016

Berrin Ceyhan

https://doi.org/10.5472/MMJsi.2902.07

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Acute asthmatic exacerbation and hospital admission may be

associated with severe influenza infection. It has been reported

that immunization with inactivated influenza vaccine in patients

with persistent asthma decreased respiratory illnesses and asthmarelated

events. Evidence from more recently published randomized

trials indicated that there is no significant increase in asthma

exacerbations immediately after influenza vaccination. Similarly,

inactivated influenza vaccine in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

(COPD) patients resulted in a significant reduction in the total number

of exacerbations when compared with placebo. The highest incidence

of invasive pneumococcal disease occurs in children <5 years of age,

immunocompromised persons such as HIV, and those ≥65 years of

age. Therefore, pneumococcal vaccine has been recommended for

all adults ≥65 years of age and in younger patients who have a

condition that increases the risk of invasive pneumococcal disease

or pneumococcal pneumonia. The development of pneumococcal

conjugate vaccines represents a major advance, and the use of such

vaccine has reduced the incidence of pneumococcal disease and

acute exacerbation in COPD patients. There are limited data about

the effect of pneumococcal vaccine on asthmatic patients.

Keywords

Influenza vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccine, Asthma, COPD

References

• Talbot TR, Talbot HK. Influenza prevention update: examining common arguments against influenza vaccination. JAMA 2013; 309:881-2.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices--United States, 2013-2014. MMWR Recomm Rep 2013; 62:1-43.