Michael Marcus, MD talks about the importance of the flu vaccine.
Read the full transcript »
Male Speaker: A vaccine to do everybody should get a flu vaccine as far. Michael Marcus: Without question the single most important thing that can be done this year, get your flu vaccine The flu vaccine is produced in a fashion to help it fight the strains and influenza that are expected to come out in that coming season. The flu vaccine for the fall is going in to production now and so, when the flu comes, it's critical everybody get vaccinated to prevent the serious spread of the infection. Male Speaker: There is also a possibility they might make a special one or two other flu vaccines as they get more information on this and the feels like problem they might come up with something that might an additional vaccine for such -- Michael Marcus: That is true, normally the flu vaccine covers the three most common types of influenza that are expected in the year coming and it takes roughly six to nine months to produce a flu vaccine. This year the flu vaccine production was started when we were ahead with this new H1N1 flu. And so for the coming year we may end up with two vaccines, one for standard flu with an additional one to cover the H1N1 strain. Male Speaker: Like most vaccines you give one or two shots to complict, how come the flu can be just make a vaccine and make and gets it more time. Michael Marcus: Well the problem with the virus is that it mutate every year to some degree and so we need to give a new flu vaccine every year in order to cover the expected viral strength that are going to come to the community on a yearly basis. Male Speaker: We have two forms of flu vaccine one by injection, one, by nasal front. Which is the one the one you prefer? Michael Marcus: Well the nasal flu vaccine the Flu is does have certain advantages that are like, one being given in the nose rather than by vaccine is easier, easier for the patient, certainly doesn't hurt and it's a quicker approach. The second is that since the nasal flu vaccine contains the entire viral particle, it is totally inactivated fashion; the viral particle would actually give us a enterally at least better protection for the flu since it includes other targets for our immune system to fight. Whereas the standard flu vaccine contains the H1N1, but doesn't contain or the H1N1 of the other strengths, see a different strength rather than H1N1. But it doesn't contain the whole viral particle and so it's missing other portions which may help our body find things Male Speaker: very complications of using the nasal version of the flu? Michael Marcus: Not really, the complications really relate to the same complications of the flu virus vaccine itself. So both the nasal and the injectable form of flu vaccine have essentially the same complications with the only difference being the lack of a needle and the complications related to the needle. Male Speaker: What is the youngest age you can give the nasal form of a flu vaccine? Michael Marcus: The youngest age approved to this point is two years old. There is not sufficient data for children under two to be given this nasal vaccine. At this point the FDA approval for the vaccine is in patient that begins at the age of two. Male Speaker: If that - mean compromise condition that are recommended. Michael Marcus: Just like with any type of active vaccine, if they have an underlined immune defect of some fashion, then you should only use the vaccine with extreme caution and since it's an injectable form, that's less risky to general approaches to give the injectable form rather than the nasal form in those types of fashions. Male Speaker: The injectable flu is made from egg? Michael Marcus: It's cultured on egg, so there is a small amount of egg protein within the vaccine itself and if the patient has been documented significant egg allergy that would be a contra indication for both vaccines. Male Speaker: So you should start discuss your doctor if you want to get a flu vaccine or type of flu vaccine, but also if we ta
Copyright © 2005 - 2015 Healthline Networks, Inc. All rights reserved for Healthline.