Prophylactic vaccinations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

3^rd International Conference on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

July 11-12, 2016 Brisbane, Australia

P S Shankar

Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Pulm Respir Med

Abstract :

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are vulnerable to community-acquired respiratory infections such as infl uenza and Pneumonia. Th ese conditions may lead to an acute infective exacerbation of the condition and worsening of symptoms. Most of them being aged exhibit an immune senescence. Adult vaccination program is a strategy to reduce the incidence of infl uenza and Pneumococcal disease. Th ough these vaccines are recommended for all persons with COPD especially those above 65 years of age, the current immunization rates are far low. Th ese patients are susceptible to seasonal infl uenza every year if they are not protected by an annual trivalent infl uenza vaccine with a single dose of 0.5 ml whose composition is modifi ed on annual basis. Infl uenza vaccine clearly reduces the number of acute infective exacerbations in persons with COPD. It also reduces the need for hospitalization and the mortality. Pneumococcal vaccine reduces morbidity and mortality in persons with COPD/Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) or Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) has to be administered in a dose of 0.5 ml as a single dose every 5 years. Vaccination program should be a part of pulmonary rehabilitation. Th ough clinical trial data is limited, both infl uenza and Pneumococcal vaccines produce an additive eff ect in reducing the infective exacerbations more eff ectively than either vaccine alone. Th ey reduce the disability. Vaccinations are recommended to all patients with COPD. Infl uenza vaccine has to be given annually during September and Pneumococcal vaccine to all patients above 65 years of age once in 5 years.

Biography :

Email: psshankar@hotmail.com