Influenza is a serious infectious disease transmitted by airborne droplets. Has a characteristic feature - a sharp start. It is difficult and often leads to a number of complications (from the kidneys, heart, central nervous system and other organs). Doctors recommend vaccination and protection against the disease before the start of the autumn-winter period. It will avoid infection or transfer the disease in a mild form.
How vaccinations work
Protecting yourself from the virus is difficult. More than 1 million people die from it annually. Once in the human body, the antigen is introduced into the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and begins a destructive effect. To combat it, a person needs antibodies that do not have time to develop in full. The vaccine for the prevention of influenza prepares the immune system in advance, so that at the time of the meeting with the virus, the necessary substances are already present in the blood.
The final result depends on:
- health status of the patient;
- quality of the drug;
- correct introduction;
- time of year when the manipulation was carried out.
A vaccinated person suffers a mild illness or does not become infected at all.
The virus is similar in structure to some pathogens of acute respiratory viral infections, so timely vaccination reduces the incidence of other respiratory diseases. Many who have tested the drug claim that during the period of the epidemic they did not get sick, or the disease went away without characteristic symptoms. The virus is rapidly modifying, so the drugs used for prevention are constantly changing and improving. Scientists regularly monitor the activity of the pathogen and predict which strain will cause an outbreak in the current period. Vaccination is the only effective method of protection against infection.
Varieties
To find out which vaccine for influenza prevention to choose, you should familiarize yourself with general information about such drugs.
The following types of drugs are used for injection:
- Alive. The main components are weakened and non-infectious viruses. The introduction of the substance allows you to quickly develop immunity to infection after the first injection. Such drugs cause many side effects, so they are rarely used now.
- Inactivated. They are made from dead microorganisms that were grown in specially equipped laboratories. Such drugs are not able to lead to disease, however, they contain particles of the virus that are needed to produce antibodies.
Vaccines for the prevention of influenza that do not contain live pathogens are more in demand, because they do not lead to their reproduction and massive side effects.
They are divided into:
- Split They are used most often. Cleaved viruses are included. They have a high degree of purification.
- Subunit. For the manufacture of surface proteins of viruses are used - neuraminidase and hemagglutinin.
- Whole cell. They are made from whole cells of the pathogen. They show high efficiency in the development of stable immunity, but they provoke more side effects, so they are not used in pediatrics.
Among the popular manufacturers distinguish:
- Microgen and Petrovax Pharm (Russia).
- GlaxoSmithKline (Belgium).
- Chiron Bering (Germany).
- Sanofi Pasteur (France).
- Abbot Products (Netherlands).
- Novartis (Italy).
Effective flu vaccines:
- "Flu".
- Fluarix.
- Begrivak.
- Waxigrip.
- "Flu plus."
- Influvac.
- Agrippal.
- Sovigripp.
The choice of prophylactic should be done by the attending physician.
Indications
Vaccination is not required, but WHO claims that this is the only way to protect against a serious infection that works.
First of all, it is recommended for children who:
- Often suffer from colds.
- They have a history of chronic pathologies.
- They attend schools, kindergartens and more.
For adults, the indications for vaccination are as follows:
- Weak immunity.
- Age over 60 years.
- Pregnancy.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, blood and so on.
The drug is administered:
- food workers;
- medical personnel;
- to teachers;
- kindergarten teachers;
- other persons in contact with a large number of people.
Prevention of influenza vaccines "Sovigripp" and "Influenza" for these citizens is free and funded from the budget. Such a policy is present in individual commercial firms. The price of a paid vaccination starts at 70 rubles per dose. It depends on the quality of the product used. In private vaccination rooms the payment is higher. The price includes raw materials and service.
Contraindications
Before the injection, the doctor collects a detailed history. Blood and urine may be required for analysis.
Vaccination is contraindicated:
- People faced with acute forms of infectious diseases or with exacerbation of chronic pathologies.
- Patients allergic to eggs or other components of the medication.
- If less than 3-4 weeks have passed since the last illness.
If severe side effects appear after using the medicine at previous times, you should not be vaccinated.
Side effects
Often local reactions occur at the injection site, such as:
- redness;
- compaction;
- swelling;
- itching and stuff.
People say this is common. The reason for this may be:
- allergic reactions to the medication;
- violation of the technique of administration;
- poor-quality raw materials (fake, expired, cheap, etc.).
Of the common systemic reactions noted:
- increase in body temperature;
- limb cooling;
- dizziness;
- headache;
- trouble sleeping
- enlarged lymph nodes.
Rarely found:
- airway obstruction;
- anaphylactic shock;
- neurological disorders;
- acute lymphadenitis;
- vasculitis;
- neuralgia;
- high body temperature;
- fever;
- cramps
- numbness of the limbs;
- violation of the heart;
- thrombocytopenia and more.
Often their appearance is associated with a violation of the precautionary measures.
When a live medication is administered to people with severe immunodeficiency, they may develop a disease, so prior medical advice is required. Immediately after vaccination, completely healthy people can experience symptoms similar to the manifestations of SARS. Doctors assure that this does not mean the development of the disease. After the introduction of the antigen, immunity is weakened, because all the forces go to the fight against the "stranger". The first few days, the body serves as an entrance gate for other microorganisms. To avoid infection, potentially dangerous crowded areas should be avoided during this period.
Subject to all precautions, live vaccines for the prevention of influenza cannot cause the disease, but provided that the virus was not in the body at the time of the prophylaxis. Many skeptics claim to be sick after using inactivated serum. In practice, this is not possible. People say that drugs are tolerated in different ways. Imported ones are of higher quality, because they go through several stages of cleaning. Due to this, less useless chemical compounds enter the body. The use of domestic inactivated vaccines for the prevention of influenza is no less effective, but side effects are not uncommon.
Precautionary measures
To reduce the risk of developing unpleasant consequences of vaccination, it is worth considering several recommendations:
- Before carrying out it, you should not hide from the doctor a recently transferred disease. The immunity after the disease has not yet been strengthened, therefore, it will not be able to adequately respond to the drug.
- Means purchased independently should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2 to 8 degrees.
- It is better to leave the choice of the drug to the attending physician, who will evaluate the state of health and other characteristics of the body.
- Self-administration of the substance is not allowed.
The patient has the right to refuse the proposed raw material and purchase it independently, however, not every medical worker will agree to introduce such a drug. If vaccinated in the summer, it may be less effective. The antigen is constantly changing, so in the warm season it is difficult to predict which type will be active in winter. As evidenced by numerous reviews, even in this case, the benefits of vaccination are.
Drug selection
It is difficult to answer the question of which vaccine for influenza prophylaxis is better. The advantages of living raw materials include high efficiency (75-85%). However, they are classified as reactogenic agents, therefore, the likelihood of adverse reactions is high here. These include the "Microgen" of domestic production. The drug is available in dry form. It costs from 70 rubles.
The choice of funds is based on:
- patient age;
- state of his health;
- existing congenital and acquired chronic pathologies.
At the moment, preference is given to drugs developed on the basis of residual virus products. These are the influenza vaccines Influvac, Sovigripp, Fluarix, Vaksigripp, etc. They provide about 60% reliability and are better tolerated by patients. Reviews about the funds are different. Most argue that Russian medicines are inferior in quality and immediately cause signs of the disease. Dear ones deserve less angry comments, however they are still there.
Vaccination during pregnancy
When infected, the virus not only has a devastating effect on the mother's body, but also harms her unborn baby. The introduction of the pathogen can provoke:
- miscarriages and premature births;
- fetal death in the womb;
- physical and mental malformations in the baby, if the infection occurred in the first trimester;
- complications of various organs in a woman.
During the 1957 pandemic, the mortality rate among pregnant women was about 50%. Thanks to the introduction of preventive measures, this number is reduced. In the course of numerous studies, it was proved that many modern drugs do not have teratogenic and mutational effects on the embryo, therefore, they can be used in early pregnancy. Inactivated vaccines for the prevention of influenza with azoximer bromide (or polyoxidonium) are prohibited to expectant mothers. Doctors warn that the vaccine is primarily a drug containing auxiliary components, so it is not known exactly how the organisms of a woman and a baby will react to it.
Girls suffering from severe chronic pathologies of the kidneys, respiratory tract and central nervous system are at risk, therefore, they are advised to agree to an injection. For this, a split form of the agent will be used. To reduce the likelihood of side effects, it is better to use an imported vaccine for the prevention of influenza (Influvac, Begrivac, Waxigripp). Reviews of most pregnant women indicate a reluctance to be vaccinated, and many doctors agree with their opinion. Some experts insist that these manipulations are needed. The use of living funds during this period is contraindicated.
Pediatric Use
Should children be vaccinated annually? This is a difficult question. She does not give a 100% guarantee, but avoids multiple complications. For inoculation of babies, only inactivated preparations are used, which are usually administered twice (with an interval of 1 month). This is enough to develop protection, but provided that the manipulations were carried out according to the rules. Children attending kindergartens, schools and other institutions are at risk, so parents are offered vaccinations. For free injections use "Grippol" or, if desired, make a paid injection with a foreign drug.
Good feedback was given to the Russian inactivated vaccine for the prevention of influenza without a preservative - Sovigripp. It is also used for vaccination in schools and kindergartens. Judging by the reviews of doctors and parents, it is better tolerated by babies than Grippol. Side effects are insignificant, resemble the signs of acute respiratory viral infections (sore throat, low body temperature, runny nose), which disappear 1-2 days after the injection.
Of foreign drugs, the vaccine for the prevention of influenza "Vaksigripp" is often used. It has been used since 3 years of age. The drug has been present on the pharmaceutical market for a long time. It has been allowed in Russia since 1992. During this time, he earned a lot of positive reviews. Most characterize it as an effective tool with a minimum of side effects.
The bulk of parents oppose vaccinations. According to their observations, they:
- impair immunity;
- cause signs of infection;
- lead to the development of skin problems (dermatitis, eczema, urticaria);
- disturb sleep;
- provoke hyperactivity and other troubles.
Other moms and dads think vaccinations are needed. They protect against illness and strengthen the immune system.
The opinion of doctors and patients
Flu vaccine reviews differ. Doctors and patients cannot agree on how safe their use is. Based on the stories of people, the conclusion suggests itself that expensive funds are better tolerated. If you don’t want to pay, there is a lot of evidence that Russian injections are not inferior in quality. The observations of medical workers showed that a positive result from vaccination appears when precautionary measures are taken.
Many vaccinated people claim that they were infected with the virus immediately after the introduction of the inactivated vaccine for the prevention of influenza, Sovigripp, Grippol, Begrivak and others. Doctors say this is a myth. Modern products do not contain whole viruses, therefore, even theoretically they cannot lead to infection. The cause of this phenomenon may be the negligence of the medical staff or the people themselves. After the manipulation, the body spends all its efforts to fight the virus, so visiting public places in the first few days leads to infection by other pathogens (rhinoviruses, adenoviruses and others). Patients also suggest that the drug was to blame. Often, at the time of vaccination, a person is already sick with the flu, therefore, it will not give a result, and the development of the disease will certainly be attributed to vaccination.
No one will be able to answer exactly if it is worth getting a flu shot. The result depends on the individual characteristics of the body. If desired, there will be both positive and negative reviews of patients about vaccines for the prevention of influenza. The choice of a quality product, the absence of health problems and the implementation of the doctor's recommendations will prepare for a meeting with a dangerous enemy, but they will not guarantee that the disease will not occur. Side effects, including severe ones, are often associated with a violation of elementary vaccination rules.