title: Compliance with immunizations in splenectomized individuals with hereditary spherocytosis.
abstract: Overwhelming infection by encapsulated bacteria is a significant risk of splenectomy. Strict adherence to immunizations against encapsulated organisms is recommended. We performed a cross-sectional study to determine immunization status after splenectomy in the hereditary spherocytosis (HS) population. As HS is most often autosomal dominant, we used a strategy of ascertaining older affected individuals by expanding pedigrees from patients in our pediatric hematology center. Only 26% of asplenic patients reported receiving all recommended post-splenectomy vaccines. This study demonstrates that pediatric hematology clinics have a unique opportunity to provide or recommend catch-up and booster vaccinations to splenectomized adult relatives of their patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Rachael F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Grace
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mednick
authors.forename: Ellis J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Neufeld
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013103:Spherocytosis, Hereditary / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013156:Splenectomy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines