The immunogenicity of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccination in autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic patients-a 6-month follow-up prospective study.

Introduction: Influenza may cause severe complications in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease (AIRD), to whom vaccinations are especially recommended. However, AIRD patients require cautious scrutiny of immunogenicity as they might exhibit poor antibody response to vaccination, especially when taking immunomodulatory medications.

Aim: The aim was to determine immunogenicity of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine in AIRD patients, its timeline/persistence, and influence of medications on immune response.

Safety and efficacy of influenza vaccination in a prospective longitudinal study of 31 children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objectives: Influenza vaccination in children with rheumatic diseases is often recommended, but not frequently performed. Our aim was to assess the safety and efficacy of annual influenza vaccination in a longitudinal follow-up study of an unselected group of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: Thirty-one children with stable JIA (10 boys, 21 girls, mean age 11.

Seroprevalence study of antibodies against influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus after the second pandemic wave in Slovenia.

Objective: The pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 virus, which combined genes from swine, human and avian influenza viruses, emerged in April 2009 and spread globally within the next month. The post-pandemic serological response to the influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus in non-vaccinated individuals from the central part of Slovenia was studied.

Methods: After the second pandemic wave, 226 serum samples from healthy preschool children, students, health care workers and blood donors not previously vaccinated with pandemic vaccine were investigated by use of microneutralization assays (MN).

Autoimmune response following annual influenza vaccination in 92 apparently healthy adults.

Objective: To evaluate the possibility of autoimmune responses following annual influenza vaccination in a large cohort of apparently healthy adults.

Methods: Autoantibodies including antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), anti-beta(2)-glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-beta(2)-GPI), lupus anticoagulant (LA) and anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibodies (anti-ENA) were determined in 92 healthy adult subjects, staff at the University Children's Hospital Ljubljana. Blood samples were taken from each participant before the vaccination, 1 month and 6 months after the annual influenza vaccination.