Serum antibodies against circulating influenza strains among vaccinated and unvaccinated general practitioners during two consecutive years (2002-2003).
Efficacy studies have not answered the question whether influenza vaccination among general practitioners (GPs) has a substantial additive effect on their immunity. To evaluate this effect the influenza antibody titres in vaccinated and unvaccinated GPs were compared in a controlled trial during two consecutive winter periods (2002-2003 and 2003-2004). The seroprotection rates against the circulating A/H3N2 influenza virus amount to 80% and 42% in the unvaccinated group in 2002 and 2003, respectively. In the vaccinated GPs the seroprotection rate increases from 91% to 96% in 2002 and from 70% to 83% in 2003 after vaccination. Besides vaccination, the (high) basic antibody titre before vaccination and working in a child and family preventive medicine unit were predicting a protective antibody level in GPs.
Centre for General Practice, University of Antwerp-Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerpen, Belgium. barbara.michiels@pandora.be
Barbara
B
Michiels
Hilde
H
Philips
Samuel
S
Coenen
Joke
J
Denekens
Paul
P
Van Royen
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001530:Belgium; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology*; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000276:immunology*; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D010821:Physicians, Family; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007252:Influenza Vaccines