September 2003
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Sniff away sniffles with nasal-spray flu vaccine
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| William Glezen, MD, holds nasal spray vaccine |
Some people are at a crossroads during flu season. They don’t like needles yet they really don’t like getting the flu.
For those who are a bit needle-shy, a new nasal-spray flu vaccine is available for the first time as an alternative to the traditional flu shot.
Researchers completed a six-year study on the nasal spray vaccine in Temple, Texas, that involved immunizing 15,000 children. William Glezen, MD, and Pedro Piedra, MD, both of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, were principal investigators in the study.
The study found the nasal-spray vaccine was well-tolerated and safe; no serious adverse effects were related to the vaccine. After 25 percent of the children in Temple-Belton area were vaccinated in the second and third years, respiratory illness visits for adults were reduced by 15 percent to 18 percent during the flu season. Reducing the spread of flu in the community reduced the risk of flu exposure for older adults
The vaccine gave 90 percent protection against illness in children less than 5 years old, 80 percent in children ages 5 to 9 and 70 percent in children over 10.
FluMist, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in June, is available for healthy people ages 5 to 49 and costs about $46 per dose. The vaccine will protect against the three influenza viruses that are expected to circulate this year.
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Nasal spray flu vaccine |
The nasal-spray vaccine is sprayed once into each nostril and provides almost immediate protection against the flu. Immunity from influenza vaccine injections is not complete for 10 to 14 days.
“Five million doses of FluMist will be distributed in addition to the 85 million doses of the traditional flu shot,” said Glezen, professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor. “FluMist increases the opportunity for more people to get the vaccine, but the numbers still aren’t hjgh enough. At least 160 million people should get vaccinated each year because they are at high risk or in contact with high-risk persons.”
In years past, flu vaccine was distributed on a two-tiered system. This program gave priority to those at highest risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu – groups that included those over age 65 and those with chronic health problems such as asthma and diabetes. Now, the vaccine is available across the board. People who want the nasal-spray vaccine should consult their doctor for availability.
Glezen recommends that health care workers, chronically ill people and those who live with members of high risk groups get the flu vaccine as soon as they can. Traditionally, flu season begins in December and lasts until April, although it can start earlier and last longer.
If a person shows signs of the flu, antiviral drugs for prevention and treatment are available, but should not be used as a substitute for the flu shot or FluMist, said Glezen. The drugs amantadine and rimantadine treat only Influenza A. Two newer medications, Zanamivir and Oseltamivir, treat both Influenza A and B.
“We will see most of the cases after the start of the New Year but may begin seeing cases in the middle of October as the weather starts getting colder,” Glezen said.
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