Vaccine
Talk
(Egyptian Edition)
"Everything you need to know about
vaccines in Egypt"
Vaccine
Anatomic or Functional Asplenia
Asplenia, whether anatomical or functional, significantly increases susceptibility to infections from encapsulated bacteria. Without proper splenic function, the body struggles to clear these pathogens, making prompt vaccination and preventive measures essential.
Persons with anatomic asplenia (e.g., surgical removal or congenital absence of the spleen) or functional asplenia (as occurs in persons with sickle cell disease) are at increased risk for infection by encapsulated bacteria, especially S. pneumoniae (pneumococcus), N. meningitidis (meningococcus), and Hib. Pneumococcal, meningococcal, and Hib vaccinations should be administered at least 14 days before elective splenectomy, if possible. If the vaccinations are not administered before surgery, they should be administered after the procedure as soon as the patient's condition is stable.
The risk of infection after splenectomy is lifelong. However, the immediate post-splenectomy years pose the greatest risk, with nearly 30% of infections occurring within the first year, and 50% within the first 2 years after splenectomy.
Patients with non-surgical asplenia or hyposplenia should receive the recommended vaccinations as soon as the impaired splenic function is recognised, according to the age-appropriate schedule.
The recommended vaccines:
N.B.: flu vaccine is recommended annually