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Universal influenza immunization may reduce antibiotic prescriptions related to influenza
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A free universal influenza vaccination program in Ontario was associated with a significant reduction in influenza-associated respiratory antibiotic prescriptions, according to results of a recent study.
The free vaccination program began in 2000; the aim was to achieve universal immunization. Researchers from several institutions throughout Canada compared rates of influenza-associated respiratory antibiotic prescriptions before and after the universal vaccination program in Ontario with corresponding rates in other Canadian provinces.
Overall vaccination rates in Ontario increased from 18% in 1996-1997 to 38% post-2000. In other provinces, the increase was from 13% to 24% during the same time periods.
Following the introduction of the universal program, rates of influenza-associated antibiotic prescriptions decreased from 17.9 to 6.4 per 1,000 people (RR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.26-0.49) in Ontario. The decrease was from 8.3 to 8.2 per 1,000 people in other provinces (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.86-1.14).
The 64% relative reduction may translate to approximately 144,000 respiratory antibiotic prescriptions prevented per year by the universal vaccination program.
In Ontario, the percentage of influenza-associated antibiotic prescriptions among all annual respiratory antibiotic prescriptions was 2.7% before 2000 and 1.1% after 2000. For other Canadian provinces, the percentage remained unchanged (1.4% before 2000 and 1.5% after 2000).
Kwong JC et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;49:750-756.