Influenza Vaccination Flashcards

1
Q

When should influenza vaccinations occur?

A

September and early November

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2
Q

What are the types of influenza virus and which ones account for most of the disease?

A

Influenza A, B & C.

A&B account for most of the clinical disease.

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3
Q

What are the 4 things to remember about the children’s vaccine?

A
  • It is given intranasally
  • The first dose is given at 2-3 years, then annually after that
  • It is a live vaccine.
  • It is more effective than the injectable vaccine
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4
Q

What are some other points to remember about the child influenza vaccine?

A
  • Children who were traditionally offered the flu vaccine (e.g. asthmatics) will now be given intranasal vaccine.
  • If a live vaccine is inappropriate, (e.g. immunosuppressed) inactivated, injectable vaccine should be given.
  • Only children aged 2-9 years who have not received an influenza vaccine before need 2 doses.
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5
Q

What are the contraindications of the child influenza vaccination?

A
  • Immunocompromised
  • Aged < 2 years
  • Current febrile illness or cold (blocked nose/rhinorrhoea)
  • Current wheeze (e.g. ongoing viral-induced wheeze/asthma) or history of severe asthma (BTS step 4)
  • Egg allergy
  • Pregnancy/breastfeeding
  • If the child is taking aspirin (e.g. for Kawasaki disease) due to a risk of Reye’s syndrome
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6
Q

What are the side effects of the child influenza vaccine?

A
  • Blocked-nose/rhonorrhoea
  • Headache
  • Anorexia
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7
Q

The adult vaccines are trivalent. What does this mean?

A

The vaccine consists of two subtypes of influenza A and one subtype of influenza B.

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8
Q

There is a quadrivalent flu vaccine called Fluarix Tetra. What does it contain?

A

Protection against two B subtypes, as well as two A subtypes.

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9
Q

When does the DoH recommend an annual influenza vaccine?

A
  1. All people older than 65 years.
  2. Those older than 6 months if they have:
    • Chronic respiratory disease (including asthmatics who use inhaled steroids)
    • Chronic heart disease (heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, including hypertension if associated with cardiac complications)
    • Chronic kidney disease
    • Chronic liver disease: cirrhosis, biliary atresia, chronic hepatitis
    • Chronic neurological disease: (e.g. Stroke/TIAs)
    • Diabetes mellitus (including diet controlled)
    • Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment (e.g. HIV)
    • Asplenia or splenic dysfunction
    • Pregnant women
  3. Health and social care staff directly involved in patient care (e.g. NHS staff)
  4. Those living in long-stay residential care homes
  5. Carers of the elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer becomes ill (at the GP’s discretion).
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10
Q

Is the adult injectable vaccine live or inactivated?

A

Inactivated and so cannot cause flu

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11
Q

A minority of patients will gets symptoms. What are these symptoms & how long do they last for?

A

Fever and malaise

1-2 days

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12
Q

How should the adult inactivated vaccine be stored?

A

Away from light

And between +2 and +8 C

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13
Q

How effective is the adult vaccine?

A

75%

(But this decreases in the elderly)

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14
Q

What are the contraindication of the adult vaccine?

A

Hypersensitivity to egg protein

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15
Q

How long does it take after immunisation for the inactivated adult vaccine to be effective?

A

It takes around 10-14 days after immunisation before antibody levels are at protective levels

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