Effects of vaccination on an influenza epidemic in a geriatric hospital

Abstract

During winter 75/76 (from February 1 to March 31) we got the opportunity to follow the incidence of an influenza epidemic that occurred in the geriatric hospital of Ivry. Its population was, on the average, 83 years old. 958 persons were involved in this study: 523 out of them had been vaccinated with Pasteur bivalent Mutagrip A + B vaccine. The epidemic had a double origin: it was due to a virus A/Victoria and to a virus B/Hong Kong. A significant difference was noted between the vaccinated group and the nonvaccinated one. Serological (CF and HI) and virological investigations (virus isolation) were performed on 110 subjects. The clinical course followed by the disease was mild for the vaccinated and severe for the nonvaccinated. Mortality rate was 0.19% in the former against 3.90% in the latter. It has been thus possible to observe an "immunological fence" since it appears that when 79% of a given unit has been vaccinated, influenza incidence has been as much as three times reduced.