Why does having chronic kidney disease put someone at greater risk from flu and its effects?
At Risk Group: Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic kidney disease at stage 3, 4 or 5
- Chronic kidney failure
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Kidney transplantation1
Risk
Kidney disease puts patients at an increased risk of picking up infection, and infections are the second most common cause of death in such patients.2 Infection with flu could increase the risk of serious illness and the patient may need hospital treatment.2 Finally, having flu puts the patient at risk of other infections, particularly pneumococcal infection.3
Nurse Jenny Greenfield, Flu Lead/Lead Nurse Cervical Screening Improvement, Public Health Directorate, discusses why people who have chronic kidney disease are at risk from the serious effects of flu.
You can download the slides from the presentation here:
1. Department of Health. Immunisation against infectious disease (Green Book) May 2011. TSO
2. Kausz AT, Gilbertson DT. Overview of vaccination in chronic kidney disease. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease 2006; 13(3): 209-214
3. Musher DM. In Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 4th Edition Churchill Livingstone; 1995 p1811-1826
