Influenza vaccination dilemmas

Abstract

Influenza is one of the most common respiratory diseases in the world, annually causing over one million of deaths. It is triggered by one of the influenza viruses (A, B, or C). In most cases, it occurs in epidemic form, but it can also appear in pandemic form, and very occasionally, it occurs in sporadic form. In the temperate zones, influenza occurs during the winter months of a year. In the tropics, however, it occurs throughout the year, although the highest number of patients is registered during the rainy seasons. In young and otherwise healthy individuals influenza is a mild disease; however, if affecting individuals with a weakened immune system, it can lead to health complications and even to death. The only effective preventive measure to preclude the disease is vaccination. There is still no consensus on whether the vaccination should be compulsory or recommended and which population groups should be vaccinated. In most European countries, the vaccination is recommended for some population groups, while in the United States the vaccination is recommend to all individuals above six months of age.