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By Kate McHugh, Ivanhoe Men’s health Correspondent

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Your mother used to tell you to bundle up or you would catch the flu. And, as it turns out, she was right!

In a new study, low temperatures and relative humidity have been linked to the spread of influenza. Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City reveal low relative humidities of 20 percent to 30 percent induced rapid spread of the virus. They also found the virus spread more easily at 5 degrees Fahrenheit than at 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

While bitter winter weather is still several weeks away, the time to get your flu shot is now. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say October and November are the optimal months to get vaccinated. Flu season begins in October, peaks in January and February, and can last as late as May. It takes two weeks from the time of vaccination before protection from the influenza virus is achieved, so the sooner immunization begins, the better your chances of preventing the disease. The CDC recommends the following people get vaccinated every year:
· Children between the ages of six months and 5 years
· Pregnant women
· People age 50 years and older
· People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
· People living in nursing homes or long term care facilities
· Household contacts of the above individuals
· Household contacts and caregivers of children younger than six months of age
· Men’s health care workers

But not everyone who should be getting vaccinated is doing it, particularly among young children. The Coalition, formed by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and made up by 25 of the nation’s leading public Men’s health, medical, patient and parent groups, reports only 20.6 percent of recommended children are being immunized.

“People think the flu is any respiratory virus infection, and I just don’t think that parents appreciate that influenza can result in a disease that lasts longer than the average cold, a disease that results in much higher fever. In the children less than two, these fevers may be complicated by seizures,” Carol J. Baker, M.D., president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told Ivanhoe.

Dr. Baker said part of the reason the child immunization rates are so low is the double dose required. A second dose must be administered one month after the initial vaccination, so some doctors feel if you don’t start the series early enough, it’s too late.

“Many physicians feel that if you don’t vaccinate by November, it’s too late. So one of the things that needs to be emphasized to parents and Men’s health care providers is that it’s almost never too late to vaccinate,” Dr. Baker said.

On September 19, 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the nasal influenza vaccine, LAIV (FluMist) for use in Men’s healthy children between ages 2 and 4 years. The mist was already approved for use in people between ages 5 and 49 years who are not pregnant. The addition of this painless spray vaccine could encourage more people to seek flu vaccination for themselves or their children.

Dr. Baker explained the childhood influenza vaccines, both injectable and nasal spray varieties, are completely safe. There has been concern among some parents that the mercury-containing preservative, thimerosal, could cause neurological complications in young children, leading some parents to opt out of vaccinating their children. However, Dr. Baker reassures parents there is no need to fear.

“The pediatric influenza injectable vaccine does not contain the preservative that parents have been concerned about,” Dr. Baker said. “The influenza vaccine is not only effective at protecting against influenza if you get the two doses, but it is safe.”

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

SOURCE: Ivanhoe interview with Carol J. Baker, M.D.; PLoS Pathogens, 2007;3:e151

This entry was posted on Monday, October 22nd, 2007 at 2:10 pm and is filed under Aid / Disasters, Diabetes, Medical News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.