La Sociedad Argentina de Pediatrics and Chair of Pediatrics at the University of La Plata, among other references that support this trend, argue that the new recommendations are fully justified in demonstrating vaccine effectiveness, new modes of life and current epidemiological situation.

The truth is that at the height of influenza vaccination, the new implementation approach taken by surprise many parents. The same pediatricians who last winter had been told that there was no need to vaccinate their healthy children if they had more than five years, today I recommend it. But it happens that this trend does not yet have an official counterpart in the vaccination program, focusing on high risk populations.

“The flu campaign is aimed especially at children aged between 6 and 23 months of age living in households with unmet basic needs or were born prematurely with low birth weight; pregnant also are studying the second and third trimester of pregnancy, and older adults 65 years “, explains the ministry of Health of Buenos Aires.

In other words, outside those specific situations, or without a medical order to justify its implementation, hospitals and health centers do not apply the anti-flu free. So those who decide to follow the medical recommendations must face new purchase of a vaccine which costs around 50 pesos.

NEW EVIDENCE

“There is that before the vaccine is not recommended for lower risk groups, what happens is that now his recommendation also extends to lower risk,” explains Dr. Maria Eugenia Cobas, president of the local branch of the Society Argentina of Pediatrics.

“This does not mean, however, that what we were doing until now has lost its validity, the doctor explains,” children between 6 and 59 months of age with certain chronic illnesses or base should be vaccinated against the flu. Only Today it is considered appropriate to apply the vaccine also healthy children and adolescents up to 18 years. ”

This expanded approach has Cobas-surge “of” the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the United States for the period 2008-2009 and is based on new evidence that influenza vaccine is safe, effective and reduces the use of antibiotics .

Dr. Marita also Marini, head of the Chair of Pediatrics at the University of La Plata, explains the trend in which “there is a greater knowledge of the influenza vaccine as a prevention element with very few adverse reactions and no drug interactions” .

“Do not be afraid to vaccinate children: is a vaccine for the general population has no severe side effects, just a line of foot, like any vaccine. But it is very useful, more epidemiological situation like that there now. ” says the doctor.

“It also changed the environment of the virus and ways of life of people” highlights “If the kids to stay at home until age three, as in the past, the vaccine may not be so necessary. But today social contact starts at increasingly early ages and therefore, the chances of infection are greatest. ”

SIDE

Because influenza vaccine contains infectious virus particles can not cause flu. More frequent adverse reaction is local discomfort, which occurs in up to one third of vaccinees

This patient, who had no medical history, eventually dying of multiple organ failure after several complications, reports the monitoring system sentinel physicians, which however does not specify the time of death. However, sources with the Ministry of Health and Social Policy, consulted by Europa Press, claim that this mutation is “expected” behavior according to each year have the flu virus.

This mutation has been detected in other countries around the world, although its significance is not fully defined, could enhance the virus would “infect it easier to lower areas of the respiratory tract, the Surveillance Network reported in its latest report, on the week of 20 to 26 December.

The first fatality in this mutation was announced by the director general of Health and Foreign Health, Ildefonso Hernandez, on 4 December, detected in a 35 in Catalonia with associated pathologies that eventually died after being in serious condition.

Moreover, these two deaths have to add three more cases of this same mutation in the H1N1 virus, one in a man of 31 years of Catalonia, which evolved without problems, one in Castilla-La Mancha in a woman of 28 years and another in Galicia in a man of 27 years, the last two without knowledge of risk factors and their subsequent evolution.

The National Epidemiological Surveillance Network also reported more than 40 mutations ‘D222E’, of which the National Microbiology Center (NMC) has found its presence in 34 patients from Castilla-La Mancha, Ceuta, Galicia, Madrid, Melilla and Navarre. In addition, Andalusia and Asturias have identified in 6 and 1 cases respectively.

The mutation of RNA affects the viral envelope in a place near the junction of the receiver to the bronchial epithelial cell, although “the significance of this change in the receptor-binding site is highly questionable,” the authors explain the report, “data from patients who have can be very helpful in trying to interpret if you have any functionality.”

RESISTANCE Tamiflu

Furthermore, this center under the Carlos III also reports of two cases known as oseltamivir-resistant virus, the antiviral used to combat new flu Roche markets under the name ‘Tamilfu’.

One of them was detected in Catalonia in a man of 66, as previously reported by the Director General of Public Health and Foreign Health, and another in a girl of 14 months in the Basque Country, both risk factors. After being admitted to the ICU and treated with oseltamivir for five days and subsequently were discharged after recovery.

As explained by Professor Jose Lopez Aldeguer, member of the Spanish Society for Infectious Diseases (SEIMC), this behavior is “not unusual” and “does not seem particularly serious,” he told Europa Press, as the forecasts suggest that the influenza season will continue with “the same intensity that so far is showing in Spain.”