Influenza vaccination in the face of immune exhaustion: is herd immunity effective for protecting the elderly?

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Influenza Res Treat. 2011;2011:419216. doi: 10.1155/2011/419216. Epub 2012 Jan 29.
Influenza vaccination in the face of immune exhaustion: is herd immunity effective for protecting the elderly?
Lang PO, Samaras D, Samaras N, Govind S, Aspinall R.
Source

Department of Internal Medicine, Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Medical school and University Hospitals of Geneva, CH-1226 Th?nex-Geneva, Switzerland ; Translational Medicine Research Group, Cranfield Health, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK.
Abstract

At the start of the 21st century, seasonal influenza virus infection is still a major public health concern across the world. The recent body of evidence confirms that trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines (TIVs) are not optimal within the population who account for approximately 90% of all influenza-related death: elderly and chronically ill individuals regardless of age. With the ever increasing aging of the world population and the recent fears of any pandemic influenza rife, great efforts and resources have been dedicated to developing more immunogenic vaccines and strategies for enhancing protection in these higher-risk groups. This paper describes the mechanisms that shape immune response at the extreme ages of life and how they have been taken into account to design more effective immunization strategies for these vulnerable populations. Furthermore, consideration will be given to how herd immunity may provide an effective strategy in preventing the burden of seasonal influenza infection within the aged population.

PMID:
23074656
[PubMed]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23074656

 

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Re: Influenza vaccination in the face of immune exhaustion: is herd immunity effective for protecting the elderly?

Full article here: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/irt/2011/419216/

Seasonal influenza virus infection remains a major public health concern across the world, and the recent body of evidence confirms that TIVs are optimal only in healthy adults and children. Through the effect of herd immunity, vaccination of pregnant women and children is also protective for newborns and nonimmunized individuals of all ages. These evidences have led some to promote yearly childhood vaccination to directly protect children and indirectly the entire population, including even the higher-risk groups. However, the current demographic shift and the sufficient mass of the population to vaccinate in order to reach the herd immunity threshold make this approach questionable. . . .

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