London, Jan 8 (PTI) Repeated vaccination for influenzamay reduce the severity of the virus and hospital admissionsin older adults, a study has found.
Researchers in Spain looked at the effect of repeatedinfluenza vaccinations in the current and three previousseasons in people aged 65 years and older admitted to 20Spanish hospitals in 2013/14 and 2014/15.
They found that repeated influenza vaccination was twiceas effective in preventing severe influenza in people admittedto hospital for the virus, compared with nonsevere cases.
This effect was consistent regardless of flu season,virus subtypes or age of patient, researchers said.
"Repeated vaccination for influenza was highly effectivein preventing severe and fatal infection caused by influenzain older adults," said Itziar Casado from Instituto de SaludPublica de Navarra in Spain.
The study published in the Canadian Medical AssociationJournal adds to findings from previous research that showsinfluenza vaccination reduces severity of the illness.
"Because severe cases of influenza may be prevented bytwo mechanisms, the effectiveness of vaccination againstsevere influenza may be greater than that for mild cases, andthe benefit of influenza vaccination may be greater than thatestimated in previous studies, researchers said.
"The prevention of severe and fatal infection caused byinfluenza was observed mainly in patients who were vaccinatedin both the current and previous seasons, which reinforces therecommendation of annual vaccination for influenza in olderadults," they said. PTI SARSAR.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.