It is effective, does not have particularly significant side effects and, above all, it is highly appreciated by parents and health personnel. A study coordinated by researchers from the "Vittore Buzzi" Children's Hospital in Milan published in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics promotes the first experience of immunization against influenza with the spray vaccine that took place last year in Lombardy.
The research followed 3,226 children and young people aged 2 to 17 vaccinated in six vaccination centers in Milan with the tetravalent live attenuated virus (LAIV) spray vaccine. After 1 and 3 months, the researchers interviewed the parents to get information on any adverse reactions and to obtain an opinion on the experience with the new vaccination modality.
24.8% of the children had had adverse events, but only 1.3% of the cases were of particular severity. The most common adverse event was rhinitis (52.5%), followed by fever (24.4%) and general malaise (9.3%). Younger children had a slightly higher risk of ailments after vaccination.
While the study does not appear that the presence of allergy, the most common chronic childhood disease, exposes the child to a greater risk of side effects.
As regards the judgment on this vaccination modality, 83.3% of the parents were very satisfied and declared that also for the future they would prefer the spray vaccination over the traditional injection.
Satisfaction among health professionals was even higher: over 93% considered it an excellent experience that deserved to be repeated.
(HANDLE).
