Studies of inactivated influenza virus vaccines in hospital employees: reactogenicity and absenteeism

The impact of a mass influenza vaccination program on the operation of a major medical center was evaluated in adult volunteer employees who were given either ether-split or whole-virus bivalent influenza vaccine in a double-blind manner by jet-injector gun. Each volunteer completed a reaction information form, nurses monitored temperatures, and data on absenteeism of the employees of the Nursing Service and the Building Management Service were collected. The results of this study demonstrated that the mass campaign did not adversely affect absenteeism. However, the whole-virus vaccine caused significantly more local, systemic, and febrile reactions thant the split-virus vaccine. Purified inactivated influenza virus vaccines can be given in a mass campaign to hospital personnel without adversely affecting the operation of the hospital.