Archival serum samples from elderly individuals with underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were enrolled in a double-blind case-control study of seasonal influenza vaccine efficacy were assayed for cross-neutralizing antibody formation to avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. Of 118 serum samples, 58 were collected from influenza vaccinees (mean age 68.5 y), and 60 from placebo ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE In this study we investigated the levels of cytokines and chemokines produced locally and systemically after influenza vaccination of patients undergoing tonsillectomy. METHODS Blood and saliva were collected prior to, and 1 or 2 weeks after vaccination at the time of the tonsillectomy. The cytokine and chemokine concentrations were determined in both unstimulated (wh...

BACKGROUND To optimize the vaccination coverage rates in the general population, the status of coverage rates and the reasons for non-vaccination need to be understood. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the changes in influenza vaccination coverage rates in the general population before and after the 2009 influenza pandemic (2008/2009, 2009/2010, and 2010/2011 seasons), and t...

BACKGROUND Seasonal influenza causes considerable morbidity and mortality across all age groups, and influenza vaccination was recommended in 2010 for all persons aged 6 months and above. We estimated the averted costs due to influenza vaccination, taking into account the seasonal economic burden of the disease. METHODS We used recently published values for averted outcomes due to influenza v...

3. In the USA in 1976, following receipt of the A/New Jersey/76 influenza vaccine, a statistical association suggested the excess risk of GBS due to the vaccination was about 9 in every million vaccinees in the 6 weeks after vaccination. However, studies conducted since 1976 have not found an excess risk of GBS associated with influenza vaccines. Indeed some studies have suggested a possible pr...

BACKGROUND Since 1998, annual publicly funded campaigns for mass vaccination against influenza of the population aged 65 years or older have been performed in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The effectiveness of the intervention was not assessed for its contribution to the reduction of influenza-attributable mortality. This study sought to compare the age-specific mortality (65 years or older) b...

OBJECTIVE To assess pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccination coverage in Western Australians, up to 31 January 2010. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Vaccination data for Western Australians aged 10 years and older were obtained from two sources: the WA Pandemic Influenza Vaccination Database (PIVD; which collected reports of pandemic influenza vaccinations from vaccination providers statew...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the vaccination rate of influenza in diabetic children and the effect of recommendation and other factors on vaccination rate. MATERIAL AND METHODS On July 2011, 144 diabetic children and their families were informed about and were recommended to receive the influenza vaccine every year, in September. On December 2011, parents were questioned about the vaccination. ...

Influenza vaccine is essential to preventing influenza among health care workers and their patients. Therefore, the staff of the employee health clinic worked diligently to provide an opportunity for all employees to receive influenza vaccinations. Despite these efforts, a significant percentage of employees declined the vaccine. During the 2007-2008 influenza season, employees were instructed ...

BACKGROUND Influenza vaccination is the most effective method to avoid influenza virus infection and its potential serious complications; however, influenza vaccine is underutilized especially among minority groups. OBJECTIVES We assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding influenza prevention and control measures among Hispanics in San Diego County. METHODS We used a m...