Influenza is a serious infectious disease transmitted by airborne droplets. It has a characteristic feature - a sharp start. It proceeds hard and often leads to a number of complications (from the side of the kidneys, heart, central nervous system and other organs). Doctors recommend getting vaccinated before the start of the autumn-winter period and protect yourself from the disease. It will allow you to avoid infection or transfer the disease in a mild form.
How vaccines work
It is difficult to protect yourself from the virus. More than 1 million people die from it every year. Once in the human body, the antigen is introduced into the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and begins a destructive effect. To fight it, a person needs antibodies that do not have time to develop in full. The flu vaccine prepares the immune system in advance so that the right substances are already present in the blood at the time of the encounter with the virus.
The end result depends on:
- patient he alth status;
- drug quality;
- correctnessintroduction;
- of the season when the manipulation was carried out.
A vaccinated person has a mild or no infection.
The structure of the virus is similar to some pathogens of SARS, so timely vaccination reduces the incidence of other respiratory diseases. Many who have tested the remedy claim that they did not get sick during the epidemic, or the disease passed 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 way to protect against infection.
Varieties
To find out which flu vaccine to choose, you should read the general information about such drugs.
The following types of drugs are used for injections:
- 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 killed microorganisms that have been grown in specially equipped laboratories. Such drugs are not capable of causing disease, but they contain virus particles that are needed to produce antibodies.
Vaccines forinfluenza prophylaxis 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. Most often used. Includes split viruses. They are highly purified.
- Subunit. Surface proteins of viruses, neuraminidase and hemagglutinin, are used for manufacturing.
- Whole cell. They are made from whole cells of the pathogen. They show high efficiency in the development of stable immunity, however, they provoke more side effects, therefore they are not used in pediatrics.
Among the popular manufacturers are:
- Microgen and Petrovax Pharm (Russia).
- GlaxoSmithKline (Belgium).
- Kairon Behring (Germany).
- Sanofi Pasteur (France).
- Abbot Products (Netherlands).
- Novartis (Italy).
Effective flu vaccines:
- Grippol.
- Fluarix.
- Begrivak.
- Vaxigrip.
- Grippol plus.
- Influvac.
- Agrippal.
- Sovigripp.
The choice of a suitable prophylactic should be done by the attending physician.
Indications
Vaccination is not mandatory, but the WHO says it's the only way to protect against severe infection that works.
It is primarily recommended for children who:
- Sick oftencolds.
- Have a history of chronic pathologies.
- Attend schools, kindergartens, etc.
For adults, the indications for vaccination are as follows:
- Weak immunity.
- Age over 60.
- Pregnancy.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, blood, etc.
The drug is administered:
- food workers;
- medical staff;
- to teachers;
- to kindergarten teachers;
- to other people in contact with a large number of people.
Influenza prevention with vaccines "Sovigripp" and "Grippol" for these citizens is free and financed 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 takes a detailed history. Blood and urine samples may be required for analysis.
Vaccination is contraindicated:
- People who have experienced acute forms of infectious diseases or exacerbation of chronic pathologies.
- Patients allergic to eggs or other ingredients of the medication.
- If less than 3-4 weeks have passed since the last illness.
When severe side effects appear after using the medicine in previous timesdon't get vaccinated.
Side effects
Local reactions often occur at the injection site, such as:
- redness;
- seal;
- puffiness;
- itching and stuff.
People say this happens a lot. The reason for this may be:
- allergic reactions to medication;
- violation of insertion technique;
- poor-quality raw materials (fake, expired, cheap, etc.).
Of the common systemic reactions noted:
- increased body temperature;
- cold limbs;
- dizziness;
- headache;
- sleep problems;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
Rare:
- airway obstruction;
- anaphylactic shock;
- neurological disorders;
- acute lymphadenitis;
- vasculitis;
- neuralgia;
- high body temperature;
- fever;
- convulsions;
- numbness of limbs;
- heart failure;
- thrombocytopenia and more.
Their appearance is often associated with violation of precautionary measures.
When a live medicine is administered to people with severe immunodeficiency, they may develop a disease, so a preliminary consultation with a doctor is required. Immediately after vaccination, perfectly he althy people may experience symptoms similar to those of SARS. Doctors assure that this does not indicate the development of the disease. After the introduction of the antigen, immunity is weakened, since all forces go to the fight against the “stranger”. For the first few days, the body serves as an entry gate for other microorganisms. Potentially dangerous crowded places should be avoided during this period to avoid infection.
With all precautions, live flu vaccines cannot cause illness, provided that the virus was not in the body at the time of prevention. Many skeptics claim that they got sick after using the inactivated serum. In practice, this is not possible. People say that drugs are tolerated differently. Imported ones are of higher quality, because they go through several stages of purification. Due to this, fewer 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.
Precautions
To reduce the risk of developing unpleasant consequences of vaccination, it is worth considering a few recommendations:
- Before it is carried out, one should not hide a recent illness from the doctor. Immunity after the disease is not yet strong, so it will not be able to adequately respond to the drug.
- Self-purchased product should be stored in the refrigerator at 2 to 8 degrees.
- It is better to leave the choice of the drug to the attending physician, who will assess the state of he alth and other characteristics of the body.
- Self-administration of the substance is not allowed.
The patient hasthe right to refuse the proposed raw materials and purchase it on their own, however, not every medical worker will agree to administer such a drug. If the vaccine was given 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, there are benefits from vaccination.
Choice of drug
It is difficult to answer the question of which flu vaccine is best. The advantages of living raw materials include high efficiency (75-85%). However, they are classified as reactogenic agents, so the likelihood of adverse reactions is high here. These include "Microgen" of domestic production. The drug is produced in dry form. It costs from 70 rubles.
Means are selected based on:
- patient's age;
- his state of he alth;
- existing congenital and acquired chronic pathologies.
At the moment, preference is given to drugs developed on the basis of residual products of the virus. These are vaccines for the prevention of influenza "Influvac", "Sovigripp", "Fluarix", "Vaxigripp" and others. 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 symptoms of the disease. Dear ones deserve less angry comments, but they still exist.
Vaccination atpregnancy
When infected, the virus not only has a devastating effect on the mother's body, but also harms her unborn child. 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 from various organs in a woman.
During the pandemic in 1957, the mortality rate among pregnant women was about 50%. Thanks to the introduction of preventive measures, this figure can be reduced. Numerous studies have shown that many modern drugs do not have a teratogenic and mutational effect on the embryo, so they can be used in early pregnancy. Inactivated vaccines for the prevention of influenza with azoximer bromide (or polyoxidonium) are prohibited for expectant mothers. Doctors warn that a 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, so they are advised to agree to the injection. For this, a split form of the agent will be applied. To reduce the likelihood of side effects, it is better to use an imported influenza vaccine (Influvak, Begrivak,"Vaxigrip"). The 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 live funds during this period is contraindicated.
Pediatric Use
Should children be vaccinated annually? This is a difficult question. It does not give a 100% guarantee, but it allows you to avoid multiple complications. For vaccination of babies, only inactivated drugs are used, which are usually administered twice (with an interval of 1 month). This is enough to develop protection, but on condition 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.
The Russian inactivated influenza vaccine without preservative, Sovigripp, has earned good reviews. 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 minor, reminiscent of signs of SARS (sore throat, slight body temperature, runny nose), which disappear 1-2 days after the injection.
From foreign drugs, the vaccine for the prevention of influenza "Vaxigripp" is often used. It has been used since the age of 3. The drug has been on the pharmaceutical market for a long time. In Russia, it has been allowed since 1992. During this time, he has earned many positivereviews. Most characterize it as an effective remedy with a minimum of side effects.
Most parents oppose vaccinations. According to their observations, they:
- impair immunity;
- cause signs of infection;
- lead to the development of skin problems (dermatitis, eczema, hives);
- disrupt 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
Reviews about flu vaccines vary. Doctors and patients cannot agree on how safe their use is. Based on the stories of people, the conclusion suggests itself that expensive means are better tolerated. If you do not want to pay, there is a lot of evidence that Russian injections are not inferior in quality. Observations by medical professionals have shown that a positive result from vaccination occurs when precautions are taken.
Many vaccinated people claim that they became infected with the virus immediately after the introduction of the inactivated influenza vaccine Sovigripp, Grippol, Begrivak and others. Doctors say it's a myth. Modern products do not contain whole viruses, so even theoretically they cannot lead to infection. The reason for this phenomenon may be the negligence of the medical staff or the people themselves. After the manipulation, the body spends all its strength on fighting the virus,therefore, visiting public places in the first few days leads to infection with other pathogens (rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and others). Patients assume that the drug was the culprit. Often, at the time of the vaccination, a person is already sick with the flu, so it will not give a result, and the development of the disease will certainly be attributed to vaccination.
No one can say for sure if you should get a flu shot. The result depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. If desired, there are both positive and negative reviews of patients about vaccines for the prevention of influenza. The choice of a quality remedy, the absence of he alth problems and the implementation of the doctor's recommendations will allow you to prepare for a meeting with a dangerous enemy, but will not guarantee that the disease will not occur. Side effects, including severe ones, are often associated with violation of the basic rules of vaccination.
