flu vaccination

Question

Is it important to have your child with CF vaccinated against flu? Is there any danger in administrating the flu vaccination (does it possibly contain dangerous substances e.g. antifreeze). Many people do not favor flu vaccination. Which considerations should I make.

Answer

Dear questioner,

Yes, it is important to vaccinate persons with cystic fibrosis against the flu yearly and this is indicated in children as well as adults. In patients with CF, a flu-infection can trigger worsening of lung infection and carries a high risk of hospital admission. In addition, flu infection can predispose to lung infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the lungs and lead to chronic Pseudomonas infection.

Since 1958, the WHO recommends flu vaccination of all vulnerable people because of the marked positive health effects. And this recommendation is still maintained. It has been proven that flu vaccination of persons with CF is equally safe and equally effective as in healthy people. Repeatedly, the safety of vaccines and also the safety of flu vaccines is being questioned, especially on the internet which has become a regular source of health information. When you search the web with words like vaccination or vaccine there is a great chance that you end up on anti-vaccine websites. On such sites vaccines are brought in relation with many diseases for which the precise course is not known. In addition, it is claimed that vaccines contain noxious substances that can make you ill. This information is not based on scientific evidence.

Most vaccines indeed do contain additives necessary for the production process or the improvement of efficacy. The two substances that are named on the internet are Thiomersal and Squaleen. Thiomersal is a conservative that has been used in small quantities since the 1930’s. It contains mercury and has been removed from pediatric vaccines since 1999, not because it was shown to be toxic but to reduce mercury load in children. It is not contained in flu vaccines. Squaleen is a poly unsaturated hydroxycarbon present in large quantities in liver oil of sharks and in small quantities in vegetable oils like olive oil and in yeast. In our bodies, this substance an intermediate metabolite in the biosynthesis of cholesterol and in sebum and it is also a normal found in human blood. Squaleen is added as an emulsion to some flu vaccines to improve their efficacy.
It is wrong to overemphasize the positive effects of vaccination and to minimize the potential side effects. The flu vaccine diminishes the chance of having a serious infection with the real flu virus i.e. the influenzavirus. It does not protect against the many other viruses that occur during the cold winter months and cause less severe flu like symptoms. A flu vaccination can cause side effects like headaches, sweating, muscle aches, fever, local swelling. These reactions diminish after two to three days without any treatment. The flu vaccine contains dead parts of the flu virus cultured on fertilized eggs of healthy chickens. Egg allergy is however not a contra-indication for vaccination unless patients had severe allergic reactions to egg. This should then be discussed with the treating physician. Despite many improvements in flu vaccines over the years, there is still room for increased efficacy, especially in young children. And this is being studied further.

Already for over 500 and probably 1000 years, the influenzavirus has caused disease and morbidity. Thanks to vaccination of vulnerable persons in whom flu really causes problems, a good protection is being provided.

Kind regards
Professor Anne Malfroot

24.11.2011