Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza vaccination rates in oncological patients - data from Germany.

Objectives: Due to disease- or therapy-associated immunosuppression, oncological patients suffer from significantly higher morbidity and mortality due to infections transmitted by respiratory pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza virus. Although the German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) provides specific recommendations for vaccination against these pathogens, there is no data on vaccination rates in this high-risk population.

Methods: Data from the interventional EVO study were analyzed to provide information on vaccination rates against Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza virus in oncological patients. Numbers presented in this publication summarize baseline and follow-up data of the control group; thus, data were not influenced by the intervention.

Results: Data of 370 patients were analyzed; 20.5% of patients were treated for hematological malignancies and 79.5% for solid cancer. 28.1% of patients had received vaccination against influenza and 32.2% against Streptococcus pneumoniae; for the latter only 7.3% according recommendations. While vaccination rates where even lower for patients with thoracic carcinoma (influenza 26.7% and Streptococcus pneumoniae 6.0% according to STIKO recommendations), rates in patients with multiple myeloma were remarkably higher (39.0% and 14.6%).

Conclusions: Despite strong recommendations to vaccinate and the clear clinical need to prevent infections in the vulnerable group of oncological patients, only the minority was vaccinated against Streptococcus pneumoniae or influenza, underlining the urgent need for better vaccination strategies in this high-risk population.