[Influenzae and pneumococcal vaccination rate in an internal medicine ward]

Vaccination against influenza virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae is a global health priority and authorities, on the basis of recent publications, have recently updated French recommendations. The aim of this study was to describe the influenzae and pneumococcal vaccination's rate in an internal medicine ward.

All patients consecutively hospitalized during a 10 week-period in an internal medicine ward were included. The reasons for non-vaccination and the impact of an educational program for corrective measures were reported.

Overall, 198 consecutive patients were included; 93 (47%) were immunocompromised; 142 (71.2%) had an indication for pneumococcal vaccination and 171 (86.4%) for influenza vaccination but only 16.2% and 55% of them were vaccinated against these microorganisms, respectively. Prior pneumococcal vaccination was more frequently observed in immunocompromised patients than in non-immunocompromised patients (21.1 versus 6.4%; P=0.029), but no significant difference was observed for influenza vaccine. Corrective measures were initiated in 46 patients (39%), non-immunized against S. pneumoniae.

These results underline the very low prevalence of pneumococcal vaccination rate in at-risk hospitalized patients, as compared with influenza, despite recent recommendations.