Is there anywhere you can get tested for swine flu immunity?

[alittleteapot]

I have respiratory issues which indicate I should have the vaccine but also had a serious illness many years ago that has been linked to flu jabs (though not in my case.)

My respiratory physician says the link is so small and the complications of flu potentially serious enough for someone like me that I should def get the jab.

However, I'm a bit nervous about this link and wonder if I could get a blood test to check if I have antibodies already (which seems quite possible as I have two children under five and understand 50% of that group have deveoped immunity without getting the virus) - then if i had I wouldn't have to have the jab.

WOuld be willing to pay...

Anyone know?

If it is GBS then unfortunately the flu virus itself can precipitate it.

it's not, it's TM which is similar.

sorry I only know a little bit about GBS and thats because a few years ago I got really interested in novel and emerging diseases and read a lot about the history of previous flu pandemics.

Hopefully someone who knows the answer to your question will come along rather than an interfering biddy like me

My GP is going to investigate if I can have a blood test to see if i have already developed immunity to this years flus - at least then if I was I don't have make the call...

In case this is of interest to anyone else: GP spoke to a virologist. Answer is, no, there is no way of testing if you have immunity to the strains of flu in any given vaccine. So, just for me to weigh up what I want to do.

@alittleteapot: although the antibody tests do exist, unfortunately it's not possible to use the results to provide information on likely immunity to influenza A. They are designed for epidemiological investigations to determine subclinical infection rates (ie who has been infected in the past), but without knowing a lot about the test and its ability to distinguish influenza types and strains, it would probably give false reassurances regarding immunity following a new exposure.

Having been involved in many risk assessments for influenza vaccination, I can say that the balance of benefit vs. risk with modern influenza vaccines is overwhelmingly in favour of vaccination. This is especially true for someone with a history of ATM because as OYBBK points out, the risk of ATM from wild type influenza definitely exists whereas it is negligible for the vaccine. Indeed, history of neurological illness is itself an indication for vaccination, and we have recommended the vaccine to recovered GBS cases where no adverse consequences occurred.

Thanks Musukebba. You sound like you know your stuff. Can I ask what you do?

Am a clinical virologist working in the NHS at consultant level.

Well thanks again very much for replying. Can i just clarify (I'm sure you'll appreciate this all feels quite a big deal for me...)
Are you saying that a wild flu virus would be just as likely or actually even more likely to cause a recurrence than a vaccine? I had read that there were specific concerns about vaccines. WHereas you're suggesting a vaccine could actually protect against recurrence.

My original TM was many years ago and very severe. They suspected a viral cause in the absence of any other but couldn't find anything in my blood. My understanding is it can be a reaction to just about any virus inc chicken pox etc. I had had glandular fever but that was five months earlier than the onset of TM.

Literature I have found online suggests that the recurrence of TM in patients who have had a very severe episode (as I did) is unlikely whereas patients with mild episodes are more likely to experience a recurrence. Since there are all sorts of viruses floating around all the time if you're saying a vaccine isn't in itself more dangerous than a wild virus, that would suggest I probably am alright.

My GP got it spot on when he said that he can see for a patient like me it's the difference between leaving things in the hands of fate and living with the consequences and the responsibility of making a decision which could, even if very unlikely, cause a negative affect.

Anyway, thanks for the info, much appreciated.

It's true that many infections can - although rarely - precipitate ATM. Bacterial infections such as campylobacter seem to be most associated, as are viral infections such as wild-type influenza A.

Although there is no credible association of GBS with modern influenza vaccines, I would be wary of suggesting that such vaccination would be protective against GBS despite the theoretical weight of such an argument. The benefits of influenza vaccination to someone who also has respiratory compromise simply lie in the likely reduction of severity of influenza.

Would it be true that even if you are vaccinated, if you come into contact with flu you would still have an immune response to it?

Musukebba - ah I think they suspected that bacteria at first. Is it found in rat's urine? I had been given water to drink from a non-drinking water sink in a public toilet seven days before onset. They couldn't find the bug in my system but probably didn't test for at least four or five days after onset. Would it have still been in my system if it was that?

Sorry more questions. You've just spoken more intelligently than any of my docs and I am still a bit haunted by not understanding why it happened to me - I'm fine now but have a few medical issues ongoing (inc the respiratory ones...)