Vent-users List: INFLUENZA

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BCD8D5.B2260100
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Influenza (sometimes called flu) is a serious disease. Here are a few =
important facts:=20

It spreads when influenza viruses pass from an infected person to the =
nose or throat of others.

=B7 fever =B7 cough=20
=B7 chills =B7 sore throat=20
=B7 headache =B7 muscle aches=20
=20
Influenza can make people of any age ill. Although most people are =
ill for only a few days, some have a much more serious illness and may =
need to be hospitalized. Thousands of people die each year from =
influenza related illnesses. Most deaths caused by influenza are in =
elderly people.

The viruses that cause influenza change often. Each year a new influenza =
vaccine is made using viruses that are thought to be most likely to come =
to the United States, or ones very similar to them. This year the =
vaccine contains these viruses:

A/Johannesburg/82/96 (H1N1)=20
=20
A/Nanchang/933/95 (H3N2)
=20
B/Harbin/07/94
=20
=20
=20
3. Who should get influenza vaccine?

Group #l. People who are at risk for getting a serious case of influenza =
or a complication should get the vaccine. This includes:=20

=B7 All people 65 years of age or older.
=20
=B7 Residents of long term care facilities housing personsof any age =
with chronic medical conditions.
=20
=B7 Any child or adult, including pregnant women, who has a serious =
long-term health problem with:
=20
- heart disease - lung disease=20
- anemia - kidney disease=20
- metabolic disease, such as diabetes =20
-asthma =20
=20
=20
AND in the past year had to:

- see a doctor regularly, or
=20
- be admitted to a hospital
=20
=B7 People who are less able to fight infections because of:

-a disease they were born with
=20
-infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that =
causes AIDS
=20
- treatment with drugs such as long-term steroids
=20
- cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs
=20
=B7 Children and teenagers 6 months to 18 years of age on long-term =
aspirin treatment, who, if they catch influenza, could develop Reye's =
syndrome which causes coma, liver damage, and death.

=B7 Women who will be more than 3 months pregnant during the influenza =
season.

Group #2. Anyone who has close contact with people who are at risk for =
getting a serious case of influenza. This includes:=20

=B7 Anyone-including children-who live with people in high risk groups =
(Group #l above)

=B7 Health care workers (doctors, nurses, hospital and medical office =
staff)=20

=B7 People who provide home-care to high-risk persons, such as visiting =
nurses and volunteers=20

=B7 People going to the tropics any time of year or to countries south =
of the equator between April and September=20

The vaccine begins to protect you after 1 to 2 weeks and protection may =
last up to one year. Influenza is most common in the U.S. from December =
to April, so it is best to get the vaccine between September and =
mid-November.=20

Influenza vaccine can be given at the same time as any other vaccines, =
including pneumococcal vaccine. It should be given in a different limb.

Because the viruses change often, they may not always be covered by the =
vaccine. But people who do get influenza after getting the vaccine often =
have a milder case than those who did not get vaccinated.=20

Also, other viruses cause diseases that seem like influenza, and the =
influenza vaccine does not protect against these other viral infections.

As with any medicine, there are very small risks that serious problems, =
even death, could occur after taking the vaccine. The risks from the =
vaccine are much smaller than the risks from the disease if people =
stopped using vaccine. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have =
no serious problems from it.=20

Children less than 13 years old should be given only split virus vaccine =
to reduce chances of side effects. Split-virus vaccine can also be used =
by adults.=20

If mild or moderate problems occur, they usually start soon after the =
vaccination and can last up to l-2 days. These may include:=20

=B7 soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
=20
=B7 fever
=20
=B7 aches=20
=20
In 1976, swine flu vaccine was linked to a severe paralytic illness =
called Guillain-Barre' Syndrome (GBS), from which about half its victims =
fully recover. Since then, other influenza vaccines have not been =
clearly linked to GBS.

However, in 5 of 6 years studied since 1976, there may have been a small =
chance that getting GBS was linked to influenza vaccine. The chance of =
GBS after influenza vaccine is far less than the chance of getting =
severe influ enza that could be prevented by the vaccine.=20

The viruses in the vaccine are killed, so you cannot get influenza from =
the vaccine.

=B7 ever had a serious allergic reaction or other problem after getting =
influenza vaccine

A severe allergic reaction could include hives, difficulty breathing, or =
shock.=20

=B7 Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and =
when the vaccination was given.

=B7 Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine =
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) form. Or call VAERS yourself at =
l-800-822-7967.

=B7 Ask your doctor or nurse. She/he can give you the vaccine package =
insert or suggest other sources of information.

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BCD8D5.B2260100
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

1. = Why get=20 vaccinated

Influenza (sometimes = called flu) is=20 a serious disease. Here are a few important facts:

It spreads when = influenza viruses=20 pass from an infected person to the nose or throat of = others.

Influenza can=20 cause:

`·=20 fever`		`·=20 cough`
`·=20 chills`		`· = sore=20 throat`
`·=20 headache`		`· = muscle=20 aches`

Influenza can make = people of any=20 age ill. Although most people are ill for only a few days, some have a = much more=20 serious illness and may need to be hospitalized. Thousands of people die = each=20 year from influenza related illnesses. Most deaths caused by influenza = are in=20 elderly people.

2. = Influenza=20 vaccine

The viruses that = cause influenza=20 change often. Each year a new influenza vaccine is made using viruses = that are=20 thought to be most likely to come to the United States, or ones very = similar to=20 them. This year the vaccine contains these viruses:

A/Johannesburg/82/96 (H1N1)=20

A/Nanchang/933/95 = (H3N2)

B/Harbin/07/94

3. = Who should get=20 influenza vaccine?

Group = #l.=20 People who are at risk for getting a serious case of influenza or a = complication=20 should get the vaccine. This includes:

· All = people 65 years of=20 age or older.

· = Residents of long term=20 care facilities housing personsof any age with chronic medical=20 conditions.

· Any = child or adult,=20 including pregnant women, who has a serious long-term health problem = with:

- heart=20 disease - lung=20 disease

- anemia = - kidney = disease

- = metabolic=20 disease, such as diabetes

-asthma

AND =in=20 the past year had to:

- see a doctor = regularly,=20 or

- be admitted to = a=20 hospital

· People who = are less able=20 to fight infections because of:

-a disease they = were born=20 with

-infection with = Human=20 Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes = AIDS

- treatment with = drugs such as=20 long-term steroids

- cancer = treatment with x-rays=20 or drugs

· Children and = teenagers 6=20 months to 18 years of age on long-term aspirin treatment, who, if they = catch=20 influenza, could develop Reye's syndrome which causes coma, liver = damage, and=20 death.

· Women who = will be more=20 than 3 months pregnant during the influenza season.

Group=20#2. Anyone who has close contact = with=20 people who are at risk for getting a serious case of influenza. This = includes:=20

· = Anyone-including=20 children-who live with people in high risk groups (Group #l=20 above)

· Health care = workers=20 (doctors, nurses, hospital and medical office staff)

· Personnel of = nursing homes=20 or chronic care facilities

· People who = provide=20 home-care to high-risk persons, such as visiting nurses and volunteers=20

Group #3. =In=20 addition, an influenza shot may be given to:

· Persons who = provide=20 important community services

· People in = schools and=20 colleges, to prevent outbreaks

· People going = to the=20 tropics any time of year or to countries south of the equator between = April and=20 September

· Anyone who = wants to reduce=20 their chance of catching influenza

4. = When should I=20 get influenza vaccine?

People who need the = vaccine should=20 get it every year.

The vaccine begins to = protect you=20 after 1 to 2 weeks and protection may last up to one year. Influenza is = most=20 common in the U.S. from December to April, so it is best to get the = vaccine=20 between September and mid-November.

· People 9 = years and older=20 need one shot each influenza season.

· Children = less than 9 years=20 old may need a second shot after one month.

Influenza vaccine can = be given at=20 the same time as any other vaccines, including pneumococcal vaccine. It = should=20 be given in a different limb.

5. = Can I get=20 influenza even though I get the vaccine this = year?

Because the viruses = change often,=20 they may not always be covered by the vaccine. But people who do get = influenza=20 after getting the vaccine often have a milder case than those who did = not get=20 vaccinated.

Also, other viruses = cause diseases=20 that seem like influenza, and the influenza vaccine does not protect = against=20 these other viral infections.

6. = What are the=20 risks from influenza vaccine?

As with any medicine, = there are=20 very small risks that serious problems, even death, could occur after = taking the=20 vaccine. The risks from the vaccineare much smaller=20than the risks from the disease if people stopped using = vaccine.=20 Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have no serious problems = from it.=20

Children less than 13 = years old=20 should be given only split virus vaccine to reduce chances of side = effects.=20 Split-virus vaccine can also be used by adults.

If mild or moderate = problems occur,=20 they usually start soon after the vaccination and can last up to l-2 = days. These=20 may include:

· = soreness, redness, or=20 swelling where the shot was given

· = fever

· aches=20

In 1976, swine flu = vaccine was=20 linked to a severe paralytic illness called Guillain-Barre' Syndrome = (GBS), from=20 which about half its victims fully recover. Since then, other influenza = vaccines=20 have not been clearly linked to GBS.

However, in 5 of 6 = years studied=20 since 1976, there may have been a small chance that getting GBS was = linked to=20 influenza vaccine. The chance of GBS after influenza vaccine is far less = than=20 the chance of getting severe influ enza that could be prevented by the = vaccine.=20

The viruses in = the vaccine=20 are killed, so you cannot get influenza from the=20 vaccine.

7. = Tell your=20 doctor or nurse if you:

· have a = serious allergy to=20 eggs

· ever had a = serious=20 allergic reaction or other problem after getting influenza=20 vaccine

· were ever = paralyzed by=20 Guillain-Barr6 Syndrome

· now have a = moderate or=20 severe illness

8. = What if there=20 is a problem after vaccination?

What should I look = for?

A severe allergic = reaction could=20 include hives, difficulty breathing, or shock.

What should I do = if it is a=20 serious problem?

· Call a = doctor or get the=20 person to a doctor right away

· Tell your = doctor what=20 happened, the date and time it happened, and when the vaccination was=20 given.

· Ask your = doctor, nurse, or=20 health department to file a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System = (VAERS) form.=20 Or call VAERS yourself at l-800-822-7967.

9. = How can I get=20 more information?=20

· Ask your = doctor or nurse.=20 She/he can give you the vaccine package insert or suggest other sources = of=20 information.

· Call your = local or state=20 health department.

· Contact the = Centers for=20 Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

- Call l-800-232-7468 = (English) or=20 l-800-232-0233 (Spanish)

- Visit the CDC = website at=20http://www.cdc.gov/nip

`- heart=20 disease`		`- lung=20 disease`
`- anemia =`		`- kidney = disease`
`- = metabolic=20 disease, such as diabetes`
`-asthma`