[Vaccine prophylaxis in elderly patients]

In 1997-1999 observation was made on elderly people living in old people's homes and in families, as well as groups of young males living in hostel-type homes, altogether 4,518 subjects. Standard inactivated whole-virion influenza vaccine was introduced in a dose of 0.5 ml subcutaneously in a single injection or intranasally in two administrations. In control groups placebo was used. The frequency of seroconversions to vaccine strains of influenza viruses was significantly less in elderly people than in young people following both subcutaneous and intranasal immunization (on the average, by 15-20%). In young people the prophylactic effectiveness of the vaccine introduced intranasally was the same as after subcutaneous immunization with the effectiveness index (EI) being equal to 2.1-2.8. In elderly people the effectiveness of the vaccine after subcutaneous immunization was the same as in young people (EI = 1.7-2.7), but insufficient after intranasal immunization (EI < or = 1.6). The preparation "Amber elixir plus" enhanced the effectiveness of immunization against influenza in elderly people.