Flu Vaccine

[Anne]

New York Times
This Season's Flu Vaccine Misses Marks
Posted by Marilyn Chase

Just because you got a flu shot this year, doesn't mean you're in the clear.

While this year's flu season got off to a mild start, there's disconcerting news lately about people coming down with classic flu symptoms, including fever, aches and coughs, despite being vaccinated.

No vaccine is perfect, of course, and some people have weaker immune systems than others. To boost the odds for success, flu vaccines contain a cocktail of antigens, or primers for the immune system, to guard against the expected varieties of flu.

This year, the CDC said it has found that most so–called influenza B viruses that are running around the country aren't fazed by the current edition of the flu vaccine. That's because two of three components in the vaccine were aiming for the wrong target.

You can't tell the players without a program. So let us tell you that most of the influenza B virus now being passed around belongs to the "Yamagata" virus family. That's an altogether different clan from the B strain in the vaccine, which is the B/Malaysia-like virus of the "Victoria" lineage. (See the CDC's weekly flu roundup here.)

Discovery of the mismatch follows earlier reports that the circulating influenza A strain – called "Brisbane" – also differs from the A strain in the vaccine known as "Wisconsin." But despite the disparate geography of their names, those A strains are closely related, so the shot may offer partial protection against the influenza A that's on the loose.

For now, given known gaps in this year's vaccine, it makes more sense than ever to keep your hands clean, using alcohol based gels; keep your mouth covered when you cough, and staying home when you're ill.

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I also read that you are contagious one day before you know you have the flu, for 5 days while being sick, and then for 1 day afterwards.

[Anne]

http://www.weather.com/activities/health/coldandflu/nationalreports/national.html

[MN Dave]

Yep. I got the shot. And I now have the flu. 

Give me a kiss. 

[Anne]

       

[SonicMan46]

Anne - yep, just got the e-mail (quoted below) the other day from w/i the medical center where I work; unfortunately for us 'teaching' faculty, our residents/fellows are in their later '20s/early '30s, most married & w/ kids - half of them seem to be always sick!  Kind of like me being in a grade school w/ sick kids - but I'm in the clinical area just 2-3 days a week.

Dave - get well soon, buddy! 

Subject: Influenza Update

This message is sent at the request of the Director, WFUP Quality Outcomes:
We are now seeing influenza cases among inpatients, outpatients, and personnel. Notably approximately half of the strains isolated are not covered by the vaccine. There was a momentary shortage of influenza rapid diagnostic kits and we had to ration them by requiring Adult or Pediatric Infectious Disease approval.  The shortage of rapid tests for influenza is now over and the lab is resuming rapid testing immediately.  Thanks for your support.

[MN Dave]

Thanks, Dave. I'm at the tail end of it...I hope.

[Anne]

Dave,

I hope you get better soon.  My son was very ill with the flu.

Take care!


SMDAVE,

My sister teaches at an elementary school (4th grade) and says the same thing about absentiism.

[MN Dave]

Dave,

I hope you get better soon.  My son was very ill with the flu.

Take care!


SMDAVE,

My sister teaches at an elementary school (4th grade) and says the same thing about absentiism.

I hope your son gets better soon. I'm down to a scratchy throat now. The fever is gone. (One hopes.)