SimultaneousImmunisation of Elderly Subjects with Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccine

Overview

A group of elderly people, patients of an old age home was immunised before the onset of aforeseen influenza epidemic against influenza with vaccine Fluarix. Forty of the subjects weresimultaneously immunised against pneumococcal invasive disease with vaccine Pneumo 23.From all subjects blood samples were collected before and one month after vaccination to assessantibodies to the vaccine antigens H1N1, H3N2 and B and for assessment of IgG antipneumo-coccal type antibodies. Seroconversion to influenza vaccinal antigens was examined by thehaemagglutination inhibition test. A fourfold rise of antibodies to antigen H1N1 was found in18.2 % of the subjects vaccinated against influenza only and in 27.3 % of those vaccinatedsimultaneously by the influenza and pneumococcal vaccine. In antigen H3N2 a rise wasrecorded in 27.5 % and 32.5 % resp. and in antigen B in 47.7 % and 52.5 % resp. The geometricalmeans of antibody titres against subtype H1N1 after immunisation were in the group vaccina-ted against influenza only 12.55 and in the group vaccinated with both vaccine 18.9. The GMTof antibodies against type H3N2 was 13.9 and 29.1 resp., and in type B 47.5 and 46.5 resp.After immunisation with the pneumococcal vaccine a rise of antibodies was recorded in 97.5 %of the subjects, the geometrical means of antibody concentrations were before vaccination 19.1and after vaccination 129.7. The authors conclude from the results that simultaneous immu-nisation with vaccine against influenza and pneumococcal vaccine is well tolerated and givesa favourable antibody response to influenza antigens and a very good response to the pnemu-mococcal vaccine. Simultaneous immunisation is useful in elderly subjects, in particular in oldage homes, where patients are hospitalised for prolonge periods.

Key words:
simultaneous immunisation - influenza vaccine - pneumococcal vaccine - antibodyresponse.