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Possible side effects of the flu vaccine include:
- Allergic Reaction. Newer vaccines contain very little egg protein, but an allergic reaction still may occur in people with strong allergies to eggs.
- Soreness at the Injection Site. Up to two-thirds of people who receive the influenza vaccine develop redness or soreness at the injection site for 1 or 2 days afterward.
- Flu-like Symptoms. Some people actually experience flu-like symptoms, called oculorespiratory syndrome, which include conjunctivitis, cough, wheeze, tightness in the chest, sore throat, or a combination. Such symptoms tend to occur 2 - 24 hours after the vaccination and generally last for up to 2 days. It should be noted that these symptoms are not the flu itself but an immune response to the virus proteins in the vaccine. (Anyone with a fever at the time the vaccination is scheduled, however, should wait to be immunized until the ailment has subsided.)
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Isolated cases of a paralytic illness known as Guillain-Barre syndrome have occurred, but if there is any higher risk following the flu vaccine, it is very small (one additional case per 1 million people), and does not outweigh the benefits of the vaccine. Guillain-Barre syndrome resolves in most cases, but recovery is slow.
There has been some question concerning influenza vaccinations because of reports that these vaccines may worsen asthma. Recent and major studies have been reporting, however, that the vaccination is safe for children with asthma. It is also very important for these patients to reduce their risk for respiratory diseases.
Avian Influenza Vaccine
The FDA approved the first vaccine for humans against H5NI influenza virus in April 2007. The vaccine, which is made from a human strain of the virus, could be used in people ages 18 - 64 to prevent the spread of the virus from human to human. The vaccine requires two doses, given about a month apart. It will not be sold commercially, but instead is being purchased by the U.S. government to be stockpiled and distributed to public health officials in the event of an outbreak of avian flu. The vaccine led to the development of antibodies in 45% of those who received the higher dose studied. The most common side effects reported were pain at the injection site, headache, and muscle pain. Research on the vaccine is continuing.
Who Needs Antibiotic
How Is Strep Throat Treated? Strep throat infections require antibiotics. Antibiotics prevent a serious complication called rheumatic fever, which can result in permanent damage to the heart. Fortunately, this complication rarely occurs in United States anymore. Antibiotic treatment of strep throat will almost always prevent this complication. In addition, antibiotics shorten the recovery time from strep throat.
The following antibiotics are generally used to treat strep throat:
- Penicillin is usually the antibiotic of choice unless the patient is allergic to it. A full 10 days of treatment may be necessary to clear the infection. Amoxicillin, a form of penicillin, is proving to be effective when taken in a single daily dose for 10 days.
- Macrolide antibiotics. Erythromycin is known as a macrolide antibiotic and is an appropriate choice for patients with penicillin allergies. A 10-day regimen is needed to clear the infection. Another macrolide, azithromycin, can be given as a single daily dose and is effective in 5 days. It is expensive, however, and bacterial resistance to macrolides is growing, so it should not be given as a first choice.
- Cephalosporins are also very effective in eradicating the bacteria.
Antibiotics are very often inappropriately prescribed for non-strep sore throats. Studies indicate that fewer than half of adults and far fewer of the children with even strong signs and symptoms for strep throat actually have strep infections.
Parents should be comforted that a delay in antibiotic treatment while waiting for lab results does not increase the risk that the child will develop serious long-term complications, including acute rheumatic fever. If a patient is severely ill, however, it is reasonable to begin administering antibiotics before the results are back. If the culture is negative (there is no evidence of bacteria), the doctor should call the family to make certain the patient stops taking the antibiotics and any remaining pills are discarded.
Children who have a sore throat and who have had rheumatic fever in the past should receive antibiotics immediately, even before culture results are back. Children with a sore throat who have a family member with strep throat or rheumatic fever should also receive immediate antibiotic treatment.
Antibiotic Resistance
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Review Date: 01/29/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
