The importance of flu vaccines was emphasized at the Influenza Vaccines Symposium organized by Istanbul Atlas University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology. Prof. Dr. Selim Badur, Lecturer at the Department of Medical Microbiology, said that the flu season has been postponed and that the flu peaks in our country at the end of February and mid-March. Emphasizing that the protection of the flu vaccine is 8 months on average, Badur said that especially the elderly, people over the age of 65 or people with chronic diseases whose immune system does not work well should be vaccinated in November.
At the symposium held at Istanbul Atlas University Dr. Ralph A. Defronzo Auditorium, information was given on the flu virus, ways to prevent flu and flu vaccines.
Prof. Dr. Faruk Aydin: “Taking simple precautions is a critical approach”
Delivering the opening speech of the symposium, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Faruk Aydın said that they organized the symposium to announce the start of the seasonal flu season and to indicate what precautions should be taken. Noting that millions of people are affected by the flu every year, Aydın said, “Influenza is an infectious disease caused by a common and easily transmitted virus. Prevention and control of the disease is of great importance in this period when flu cases increase with the arrival of winter months. As we all know, taking simple precautions is a very critical approach both to protect our individual health and to strengthen social immunity. Today, we will both recognize the virus and draw attention to the importance of the flu vaccine, hygiene rules and healthy living habits.”
Prof. Dr. Selim Badur explained the curious things about flu and vaccines
Prof. Dr. Selim Badur, Faculty Member of Istanbul Atlas University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, gave information on many curious questions such as when to get the flu vaccine, the duration of the protection of the flu vaccine, and the effectiveness of flu vaccines in his speech titled “Curiosities About Flu and Flu Vaccines”.
Influenza is the Lady Beak of viruses
Stating that the flu is faced with a very variable virus, Prof. Dr. Selim Badur said, “It is usually a very contagious, rapidly transmitted virus. It is resistant to external conditions and does not die easily. It can be fatal in certain pathologies. Especially in those with chronic diseases, it leads to aggravation of that disease. It leads to complications. There is a Lady Gaga analogy for this important disease. I also use this analogy. In an article in the journal Nature Medicine in 2013, it is said that the influenza virus is the Lady Gaga of viruses. We are really facing a virus that changes its appearance very often like Lady Gaga.”
Influenza virus predisposes to bacterial infections
Stating that the flu virus prepares the ground for bacterial infections, Badur said, “Secondary bacterial infections occur in most cases. There are some receptors in the lung for pneumococcal bacteria. But they are covered. When the flu comes, it removes that cover and the receptors are exposed and thus pneumococcal bacteria appear as more infection agents.”
Flu vaccine protection lasts an average of 8 months
Emphasizing the reason for getting the flu vaccine every year, Badur said, “In fact, the reason why we get the flu vaccine every year is not because of the antigenic type change of the virus, but because the protection is on average 8 months. Although this is claimed especially in the press, media, social media and public opinion, the real reason is not because of the change in the virus, but because the protection is limited. For this reason, we get the flu vaccine every year.”
Flu season postponed
Stating when to get the flu vaccine, Badur said, “According to the laboratory findings between 2003 and 2012, the flu season was postponed a bit in our country, probably due to global warming and climate change. It has been pushed forward. We do not see flu in November and December. It starts to increase in January, peaks in February and continues until the end of May. According to the findings of the 2014-2015 season, the 51st week in the United States, the fourth week in Europe, and the 8th or 10th week in Turkey, i.e. the end of February and mid-March, peak. Flu activity is highest in this period.
Flu vaccination should be done in November
Noting that the protection of the flu vaccine is 8 months on average, Badur said, “The protection of the flu vaccine and antibody stress are decreasing. Especially when you vaccinate the elderly, people over the age of 65 or people with chronic diseases whose immune system does not work well in September, antibodies decrease at the end of January when the activity peaks. For this reason, the month of flu vaccination should be specified as November.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özge Ünlü: “Flu vaccine is an important preventive against the aggravation of chronic disease”
In her speech titled “The Importance of Influenza Vaccines”, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özge Ünlü, Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Atlas University Faculty of Medicine, emphasized that influenza creates a serious financial burden due to the burden of disease as well as health care costs and loss of workforce/productivity. Stating that children are among the most important vectors in the spread of influenza, Ünlü said, “Children are the primary vectors and play an important role in the spread of influenza in the community, including high-risk populations.” Ünlü underlined that the flu vaccine is an important preventive measure for people with certain chronic diseases against the aggravation of chronic disease.
Prof. Dr. Zeynep Eran: “The most effective method of preventing and controlling the flu is vaccination”
Zeynep Eran, Faculty Member of Istanbul Atlas University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, stated in her speech titled “Content and Production of Flu Vaccines” that the flu vaccine is the most effective method of preventing and controlling the flu and said, “It is the most effective method in children over 2 years old and healthy adults. The effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine varies between 10 percent and 60 percent. The lowest effectiveness occurs when vaccine strains do not match well with circulating strains.”
