Renal Transplant Hastalarında İnfluenza ve Pnömokok Aşı Farkındalığı

Abstract

Objective: Influenza and pneumococcal infections cause significant morbidity in renal transplant patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the rates of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in our country and the factors that may affect it. Material and Methods: The study included 197 renal transplant patients who were followed up at the nephrology outpatient clinic of Konya Education and Research Hospital. The questionnaire on influenza and pneumococcal vaccination was completed. Results: In our study population, the rate of influenza vaccine was 26.4% and pneumococcal vaccine rate was 2.5%. The main reason for not taking the vaccination was the lack of advice on vaccination to the patients (45.6% for the influenza vaccine and 95.4% for the pneumococcal vaccine). Because 12.6% of patients did not believe the effect of influenza vaccine, 7.6% were afraid of side effects and 7.1% were not vaccinated because they did not have an influenza infection. When asked who made the vaccination with a recommendation, it was determined that they were most frequently vaccinated with the advice of the transplant center or the following nephrologists (influenza vaccine 84.6 and 100% for pneumococcal vaccine). Conclusion: Despite consensus and strong recommendations, vaccination rates in renal transplant recipients are lower than targets. Efforts should be made to increase vaccine awareness and vaccination rates for vaccine-preventable diseases in this sensitive patient group.