Influenza vaccination in severely @entity1032 XXXX / @entity1 .

@entity1 @entity683 @entity1032
BACKGROUND: Many reports about the preventative effects of inactivated @entity683 vaccine have been published, targeting @entity1 with underlying medical conditions. However, the effectiveness for severely @entity1032 @entity1 / @entity1 (SMHPs) is not yet well established. METHODS: The study group consisted of 79 SMHPs (36 males and 43 females, aged 18-66 years), with long-term hospitalization in Niigata National Hospital. We compared serum antibody responses before and after two-doses vaccination. RESULTS: Before vaccination for the 2004-2005 season, SMHPs showed continuously high HAI titer in A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-strain from March to October in 2004. The seroprotection rates were increased after the first dose, but no remarkable change was seen after the second dose in all three strains. Subjects less than 30 years old (< or = 29 group) had a high antibody titers against all three strains compared with subjects aged >40 years old. On the other hand, in the seroconversion rates, there were no significant differences in age, gender, and severity of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: According to our study, SMHPs are low responders except < or = 29 group and the @entity683 vaccine effectiveness is more affected by their age than severity of symptoms. We suggest a recommendation for @entity683 vaccination especially in SMHPs; inactivated @entity683 virus vaccine (one dose) should be performed during the previous fall. In addition, further studies are needed about chemoprophylaxis, which can prevent @entity683 outbreaks in SMHPs.
