[Flu vaccine and auto-immune and/or inflammatory diseases]

Abstract

Patients with systemic inflammatory and/or autoimmune diseases have an increased risk of infections particularly severe influenza infections. Annually vaccination can prevent these infections. Available data about the influenza vaccine in these patients show that, it remains well tolerated and effective even if the antibody response is lower compared to healthy controls. These data encourage to vaccine every year patients with systemic inflammatory and/or autoimmune diseases with influenza vaccine, particularly patients taking immunosuppressant drugs or having respiratory, cardiac or renal chronic diseases according to guidelines. More data are needed about the severity of influenza infection and the efficacy of influenza vaccination in patients with systemic inflammatory and/or autoimmune diseases to improve their vaccine coverage.