Interview Choi Won-seok, Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, Korea University Ansan Hospital
Flu, fatal for the elderly and chronically ill
The most reliable method of prevention is vaccination
Vaccination is recommended from mid-October if possible.
This year, unusually, the influenza epidemic continues even in summer. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the flu, another infectious disease, was relatively not prevalent, reducing natural immunity to the flu within the population. In addition, as face-to-face activities have increased and personal hygiene management levels such as wearing masks and washing hands have been relaxed, response to influenza has become vulnerable. The most reliable way to prepare is to get a flu vaccine. I heard from Professor Choi Won-seok of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Ansan Hospital about the importance of getting the flu vaccine.
Q: As people begin to recover from their daily routine, the flu epidemic is becoming unusual.
A : “That’s why flu vaccination is even more necessary. The flu is a catalyst that rapidly worsens overall health. People over the age of 65 with weakened immune function or people with chronic diseases such as angina, diabetes, or asthma are at risk just from catching the flu. If you catch the flu, the condition of the chronic disease you were suffering from gets worse. As certain inflammatory reactions occur easily, there is a high risk of secondary complications such as pneumonia and myocardial infarction. If you catch the flu, your risk of developing pneumonia increases by up to 100 times. “For your own health, you should get the flu vaccine every year.”
Q: When is the best time to get the flu vaccine?
A : “The epidemic pattern of the flu virus, the lasting effects of the flu vaccine, and each individual’s physical condition must be taken into consideration from various angles. Typically, the flu spreads once in November-December and again in March-April of the following year when a new semester begins. Once administered, the preventive effect of the vaccine lasts for about 6 months. The flu vaccine takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop after vaccination. Considering this, it is best to get the flu vaccine from mid-October if possible. Of course, depending on the situation, you can get it sooner or later than this. Basically, getting the flu vaccine itself is the most important thing.”
Q: The flu is still prevalent. Can I get the vaccine?
A : “Of course. This year, the flu continues to spread regardless of the season, which is unique. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the flu epidemic pattern shows a different pattern than before. It is assumed that the flu, which has been suppressed due to quarantine measures, continues to spread. It is expected that the flu will spread more strongly in the fall and winter than now. Environmentally speaking, when the days are cold and dry, it is advantageous for various respiratory viruses, such as influenza, to survive longer. “As there is a high possibility that the flu epidemic will worsen, we need to prepare by getting a flu vaccine.”
Q: Isn’t it enough for only high-risk groups eligible for national mandatory vaccination to get the flu vaccine?
A : “This is a wrong idea. The best way to prevent the flu is vaccination. The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases also recommends flu vaccination for children over 6 months old. It is a good idea to get the flu vaccine every season. However, the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases have a higher risk of developing a severe illness when infected with the flu. As the underlying disease worsens, it secondarily progresses to severe, life-threatening flu complications such as pneumonia and sepsis. This increases the risk of hospitalization and death. This is why it is recommended that flu vaccine be given priority to high-risk groups. In addition, people who care for high-risk groups, such as workers at medical institutions and nursing care workers, can also spread the flu to high-risk groups, so it is important to get the flu vaccine. Even if you are not eligible for the national mandatory vaccination, which emphasizes priority vaccination, you need to get the flu vaccine.”
Q: What do I do if I have an egg allergy?
A : “All you need to do is get a flu vaccine produced through cell culture. Depending on the vaccine production method, flu vaccines are divided into fertilized egg vaccines, which cultivate viruses in fertilized eggs, and cell culture vaccines, which cultivate viruses using animal cells. The cell culture method does not use fertilized eggs, so vaccination is possible safely even if you have an egg allergy. In theory, if a vaccine is made by cultivating viruses using fertilized egg methods, egg proteins may be mixed even if they are well purified. If you have a severe allergic reaction to eggs, it may be difficult to receive a vaccine made from fertilized eggs. In this case, a vaccine produced through cell culture is an alternative. Additionally, vaccines made using cell culture methods are produced in sterile incubators and do not use antibiotics or preservatives. “There is low concern about hypersensitivity reactions occurring after vaccination.”
Q: I heard that the preventive effect also varies between vaccines.
A : “It’s subtle, but yes. In general, flu vaccines are produced every year according to the list of flu vaccines predicted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be prevalent in that year. However, during the production process of fertilized egg vaccines, the influenza virus may adapt to eggs and undergo viral mutations (egg adapted chage). Cell culture vaccines did not show these virus mutations. For this reason, it is believed that a flu vaccine made through cell culture can somewhat increase the effectiveness of the vaccine by increasing the match between the currently circulating virus and the strain contained in the vaccine.”
Seonmi Kwon (kwon.sunmi@joongang.co.kr)
2023-09-09 11:07:45
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