Use of influenza vaccine in long-stay geriatric units

Age and Ageing
I M LennoxR G Somerville

Abstract

A postal questionnaire sent to all consultant geriatricians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland determined that less than one consultant in five offered influenza vaccine to patients in continuing-care wards. The main reasons given were that vaccine was inappropriate or unnecessary. This information prompted a prospective study of viral illness during the winter months of 1986-87 in eight continuing-care wards with a population of 196 patients. There were 70 episodes of influenza-like illness (ILI), but only 17 viruses were isolated, the commonest being rhinovirus (seven patients). As most cases of ILI in this population were caused by viruses other than influenza, the reluctance of most geriatricians to give influenza vaccine to continuing-care patients appears justified.

Citations

Sep 29, 1990·BMJ : British Medical Journal·K G Nicholson
May 1, 1995·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·P H RothbarthM J Sprenger
Nov 16, 2007·Journal of Neurology·Christoph KleinschnitzHeinz Wiendl

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