[Influenza vaccination now from 60 years of age onwards].
Currently, general practitioners and occupational health physicians in The Netherlands face the question whether their patients should be vaccinated against influenza. This follows the addition of two new groups to the list of persons to be vaccinated: those over sixty and people working in health care and health institutions with direct patient contact. These developments stir the hidden resistance to influenza vaccination. It should be clear to everyone that there is no doubt that the vaccination is efficacious and safe. However, the influenza activity in The Netherlands has been low over the last years, which limits the disease burden to be prevented byvaccination. Under these circumstances, the proportion of flu-like symptoms caused by other agents such as respiratory syncytial virus is increased, which may lead to the false impression that the influenza vaccine is not effective. A new pandemic may come at any time, and only then will the efforts to prevent influenza pay off.
Galama
J M D
JM
Universitair Medisch Centrum St Radboud, afd. Medische Microbiologie, sectie Virologie (MMB 440), Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen. j.galama@mmb.umcn.nl
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010821:Physicians, Family; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D012307:Risk Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C417033:net protein, Drosophila