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All these vaccines needed?

Hi @ickihun
I had the flu jab when I saw the GP and was diagnosed officially. I've not been offered anything else. I'm not sure diabetics are more at risk of Hep B? I wouldn't imagine that many if any diabetics share needles etc certainly not in this country anyway.
 
I've had pneumonia jab as well as yearly flu vaccine, you?
 
archersuz said:
I wouldn't imagine that many if any diabetics share needles etc certainly not in this country anyway.
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Unfortunately, it has happened @archersuz. Whenever medical equipment is shared between patients there is a risk, and because blood glucose is checked frequently in hospitalized patients with diabetes their risk of contracting blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B is higher than that of the population at large. There were 5 such outbreaks in the UK between February 2004 and December 2006. Here is the link to the document with the evidence-base for the CDC guidelines:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2101.pdf
 
ickihun said:
I saw this and wondered if you have been encouraged to have all these vaccines.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/health-conditions/diabetes/infographic/index.html
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This is an American article, in the U.K. Hepatitis B vaccine is now routinely offered to babies I think but not diabetics unless they are at risk of exposure to the same degree as a non diabetic, drug abuse, blood transfusion etc.... Zoster (shingles) vaccine is only offered to people in their 70s
 
Thanks @Rachox
 
I guess ambulance crew too.
 
ickihun said:
I've had pneumonia jab as well as yearly flu vaccine
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I get this years fluvax in early May from my GP, I have had all of the pneumovax shots.

Had the zostervax for over 70's a while back for Shingles.
 
ickihun said:
Sorry I ment ambulance crew share blood meters with other patients. They stab your finger and trust they've put in a fresh lancet.
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The other big consideration is the fact that the hepatitis b virus is very hardy and can live on surfaces for up to 7 days. That's why health care workers are routinely vaccinated against Hep B as the risk of occupational exposure is high.

Transmission may occur any time there is (a) HBV contamination on any surface (including the lancet, the meter and the pot of strips), and (b) non-intact skin. So this is why those of us with diabetes are more at risk of contracting Hep B than the average person when we are in the hospital or other health care settings where shared testing equipment may be used.

Here are some links for more information:
Epidemiol Infect. 2011 Mar;139(3):327-35.
“Five hepatitis B outbreaks in care homes in the UK associated with deficiencies in infection control practice in blood glucose monitoring.”
“This article is an account of the investigations into a series of HBV outbreaks linked to the use of lancing devices in community healthcare settings in the UK. Between February 2004 and December 2006, nine individuals with acute HBV infection were reported to five local units of the Health Protection Agency. Investigations identified a further 12 individuals with HBV infection in residents in these settings. The epidemiological and environmental evidence suggests that HBV transmission occurred mostly from a significant breakdown in infection control measures in blood glucose testing.”​
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20478083

J Med Virol. 2015 Apr;87(4):583-8.
“Hepatitis B outbreak in a nursing home associated with reusable lancet devices for blood glucose monitoring, Northern Germany 2010.”
"All cases (median age 81) were female, had diabetes, blood glucose monitoring, and chiropody. In multivariable analysis only blood glucose monitoring was associated with HBV infection."​
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25611818

Am J Infect Control. 2012 Oct;40(8):726-31.
“Transmission of hepatitis B virus associated with assisted monitoring of blood glucose at an assisted living facility in New York State.”
"Despite clear preventive recommendations, bloodborne pathogen transmission continues to occur in the setting of AMBG."​
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22284938
 
I work with children so I get the flu shot every year. Those little ones are breeding grounds for every nasty bug and pass it along with vengeance.
I also have every Hep shot as well.
Here we can get the shingle shot for free after 50. So I’ll be getting that in 6 years.
 
ickihun said:
Sorry I ment ambulance crew share blood meters with other patients. They stab your finger and trust they've put in a fresh lancet.
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Tipetoo said:
By the look of this, the lancet devices the Queensland Ambulance Service uses a single use lancing device as hospitals GP surgeries etc.

https://www.ambulance.qld.gov.au/docs/clinical/cpp/CPP_Blood analysis_Glucometry.pdf
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The lancets we used were impossible to use more than once as the needle retracted into the housing and couldn’t be activated a second time.
 
There's currently a worldwide shortage of the Hep B vaccine, so it probably isn't being offered to most people at the moment.

I work with human tissue, but we've had to use a lot of pig stuff instead, because we just can't get the Hep B vaccination.
 
Rachox said:
The lancets we used were impossible to use more than once as the needle retracted into the housing and couldn’t be activated a second time.
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Thats very very reassuring. I really didn't question this til this post.
Thanks @Rachox.
 
The Hep B risk in the UK (unlike USA) is low as few people have Hep B.
 
Rachox said:
The lancets we used were impossible to use more than once as the needle retracted into the housing and couldn’t be activated a second time.
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That why I put the QAS link in where it states that @Rachox, it would be the same with all the states and territories ambulance services here in Australia using those or similar lancing devices.
 
Tipetoo said:
That why I put the QAS link in where it states that @Rachox, it would be the same with all the states and territories ambulance services here in Australia using those or similar lancing devices.
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Indeed, I was just saying that it’s the same in the NHS in the U.K. The lancets don’t look quite the same here but the same principle.
 
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