Flu Studies
There are two new studies which raise significant concern regarding the flu.
One says that the flu shot is really not that effective in the older population which is the prime target population for vaccination.
The other says the drugs we have stockpiled in the event of a flu epidemic won’t work now in many because the flu viruses have become resistant to them.
According to the latest data, presented in the medical journal The Lancet, worldwide resistance to the medicines used to treat the flu have increased a whopping 12 percent in the past 10 years.
Researchers at the centers for disease control and prevention say resistance of circulating flu viruses to the adamantanes--.the drugs Amantadine and Flumadine--went from .4% of the bugs to 12.3 percent.
The drugs that showed resistance, block the reproduction of the influenza a virus. But they do not work against influenza B viruses or the bird flu that has killed more than 60 people since late 2003.
Because of this, the experts are concerned these drugs are not adequate to treat or prevent flu cases in the event of a pandemic.
Dr. Eileen Callahan, a geriatrician at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, says, “If we’re seeing it in the past ten years it’s probably going to continue and it gives us even more reason to be pushing for flu vaccines because these medications are after the fact.”
However, another study, also in the lancet, found that while flu vaccines are modestly effective for those patients in long term care facilities, it is even less effective for elderly individuals still living out in the community.
This is a shocking revelation, given that those over age 65 are the main target for getting an annual flu shot.
While in the long term care facilities the data showed that flu shots prevent 42 percent of flu related deaths, in those in the community, it has no effect on preventing cases of pneumonia or other influenza related illnesses.
The findings echo a previous study back in February of this year which showed between 1980 and 2001, there was really no correlation with increased vaccination coverage and declining mortality rates.
Despite this, the influenza vaccine has been such a significant public health move for those 65 and older that vaccination coverage for this age group has increased from between 14 and 20 percent before 1980 to 65 percent in 2001.
So, should this change the public health approach to targeting the elderly for getting vaccinated against the flu?
This geriatric specialist says, no.
“Every older person should be getting the flu shot and I tell them you have to get it it’s not 100 percent at preventing the flu but it’s very effective at preventing severity of the illness and mortality and you should get it as soon as you can get your hands on it,” says Dr. Callahan.
The flu vaccine did have a benefit in preventing 30 percent of hospitalizations due to pneumonia secondary to the flu.
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