Approaches to prevention of flu at elderly

Influenza retains a special place among human infectious diseases, due to its ubiquitous distribution, annual outbreaks and epidemics. Complicated forms of influenza are one of the main causes of death in the world. Influenza poses a significant risk to the elderly: patients aged 60 years and older make up the majority of hospitalized influenza patients and are more likely to become severely ill. In addition to the severe manifestation of respiratory symptoms and viral pneumonia in elderly patients with influenza, data are presented on the complications of influenza from the respiratory, central nervous and other systems, and the risk of heart attack and stroke. Approaches to vaccination against influenza, including the elderly, are considered. The use of influenza vaccines reduces the risk of hospitalization due to diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, reduces overall mortality, and these effects are most pronounced in people of older age groups. Influenza vaccination of older adults reduces severe illness and complications by 60% and deaths by 80%. Persons over 60 years of age in the Russian Federation are immunized against influenza as part of the National Immunization Schedule. For the elderly (both healthy and at risk), a single annual vaccination is recommended at least 2-3 weeks before the start of the seasonal rise (in most cases from October to May), and can also be carried out during the influenza season. Russia uses inactivated influenza vaccines. To increase the immunogenicity of vaccines while maintaining their low reactogenicity, it is common to add immunoadjuvants to the vaccine composition, which are part of the domestic vaccines. The Russian influenza vaccine that meets all WHO recommendations on the qualitative and quantitative content of influenza virus antigens is trivalent inactivated split influenza vaccine. The current priority is the use of quadrivalent vaccines, which ensure the development of the most stable immunity. In Russia, such a vaccine, which meets all WHO recommendations, is quadrivalent inactivated split influenza vaccine. The article presents the characteristics of influenza vaccines used in the Russian Federation and data on their effectiveness, including in the elderly.