Does pneumococcal vaccine reduce influenza morbidity in humans?

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 25; no. 6; pp. 1071 - 1075
• Main Authors: Blay, A, Bessler, H, Lahad, A, Waitman, D.A, Djaldetti, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 22.01.2007; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Allergy and Immunology; Anti-influenza vaccine; Applied microbiology; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic illnesses; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Immunization; Influenza; Influenza Vaccines - administration & dosage; Influenza Vaccines - economics; Influenza Vaccines - immunology; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - immunology; Influenza, Human - therapy; Male; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Morbidity; Pneumococcal vaccine; Pneumococcal Vaccines - administration & dosage; Pneumococcal Vaccines - economics; Pneumococcal Vaccines - immunology; Pneumonia; Retrospective Studies; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Pneumococcal vaccine; Anti-influenza vaccine; Influenza; Infection; Human; Streptococcaceae; Viral disease; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Vaccine; Morbidity; Streptococcus pneumoniae
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.09.056

Abstract A retrospective study was conducted to verify the possibility that people immunized with pneumococcal vaccine (PV) show lower morbidity not only for pneumonia but also for influenza. A total of 450 individuals were enrolled between 1999 and 2003 and allocated to one of the following groups: (A) not vaccinated; (B) immunized with PV during 1999; (C) immunized with anti-influenza vaccine (Flu-V) each year; and (D) immunized with PV once in 1999 and Flu-V every consecutive year. People from group B showed significantly lower percentage of influenza-related diseases during the year 2000 in comparison with those from group A ( p < 0.01), whereas in the course of 2001 the morbidity of patients from group B was lower compared with the other groups ( p < 0.01). The results point to a way to decrease the morbidity of influenza-related diseases by immunization with PV only, at least for 2–3 years, avoiding Flu-V administration and permitting considerable saving for health care providers. Therefore, it is concluded that PV can reduce the morbidity of influenza at a greater rate than the Flu-V.