Influenza vaccine effectiveness in Australia: results from the Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To estimate influenza vaccine coverage and effectiveness against medically attended laboratory-confirmed influenza for the 2012 season.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS:

Test-negative design involving patients recruited as part of the Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network, a network of sentinel general practitioners throughout Australia. Throughout 2012, at the discretion of the GP at one of 102 participating practices, patients presenting with influenza-like illness were swabbed and included in the study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:

Influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimated as (1-OR)*100% by logistic regression.

RESULTS:

1775 patients were swabbed. The epidemic period was identified as Weeks 10 to 43 of 2012. After exclusions, there were 1414 patients for the VE analysis, including 593 (42%) who tested influenza-positive and 821 who tested negative. 27% of test-negative patients were vaccinated, of whom most were aged 50 years and over. The overall VE, adjusted for age group, month of presentation and state or territory, was 23% (95% CI, -4% to 43%) against all influenza types, 15% (95% CI, -17% to 38%) against influenza A, 13% (95% CI, -20% to 36%) against influenza A(not H1) and 53% (95% CI, 5% to 77%) against influenza B.

CONCLUSION:

Vaccination against influenza was modestly protective, reducing the risk of medical presentation with influenza by around 23%.

• Authors: Sheena G Sullivan, Monique B-N Chilver, Geoff Higgins, Allen C Cheng, Nigel P Stocks
• Journal: The Medical journal of Australia (Med J Aust) Vol. 201 Issue 2 Pg. 109-11 (Jul 21 2014) ISSN: 1326-5377 [Electronic] Australia
• PMID: 25045991 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Influenza Vaccines

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Australia (epidemiology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• General Practice
• Humans
• Infant
• Influenza Vaccines
• Influenza, Human (diagnosis, epidemiology, prevention & control)
• Logistic Models
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Sentinel Surveillance
• Vaccination (statistics & numerical data)
• Young Adult