Why does having chronic liver disease put someone at greater risk from flu and its effects?

 

At Risk Group: Chronic liver disease

  • Cirrhosis
  • Biliary atresia
  • Chronic hepatitis1

Risk
Infection with flu poses a specific risk to liver transplant patients both before and after transplantation. It has been shown to increase the risk of complications, increase the rate of rejection and drug resistance after transplant as well as making liver disease worse in those with cirrhosis waiting for a liver transplant.2 In addition, having liver disease also affects which flu treatments can be given to a patient, so prevention is better than trying to treat the illness. Finally, having flu puts the patient at risk of other complications, particularly pneumococcal infection.3

 

 

Nurse Jenny Greenfield, Flu Lead/Lead Nurse Cervical Screening Improvement, Public Health Directorate, discusses why people with chronic liver disease are at risk from the serious effects of flu.

 

Chronic Liver Disease - Slides

You can download the slides from the presentation here:

 

References

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1. Department of Health. Immunisation against infectious disease (Green Book) May 2011. TSO

2. Duchini A et al. Influenza Infection in Patients Before and After Liver Transplantation. Liver Transplantation 2000; 6(5): 531-542

3. Musher DM. In Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 4th Edition Churchill Livingstone; 1995 p1811-1826

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