FLU FACTS: Injection or mist: What's the difference?

This column appears in Wednesday's Nevada Appeal throughout the flu season. Readers interested in knowing more about this topic are urged to visit www.cdc.gov/

h1n1flu or www.flu.gov.

Q: What's the difference between the nasal mist vaccine and the vaccine in regular shots?

A: Vaccinations given via injection in the arm are made of inactivated, or dead, virus. The virus in mist vaccines are live, attenuated virus, which means the virus has been rendered less virulent so it will not cause illness. Mist vaccine also is known as live, attenuated intranasal vaccine, or LAIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that only healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49 should consider nasal mist vaccine. Either kind of vaccine is the best defense against getting the flu.

Pregnant women and those with chronic disease, such as asthma or diabetes, should not have LAIV.

It is acceptable to have two shots at one time (seasonal flu shot and H1N1 dead virus; one in each arm). However, the CDC recommends that if you are planning to have both vaccines in mist form, the administration of these two vaccines should be separated by 28 days so that both LAIVs work most effectively.

Another difference between the two vaccines is that the 2009 H1N1 LAIV does not contain thimerosal or other preservatives. It does, however, contain egg component so it is not recommended if you have a severe (life-threatening) allergy to eggs or to any other substance in the vaccine. Always tell the person giving you vaccine if you have any severe allergies.

The same side effects typically associated with the seasonal flu shot and the seasonal nasal spray vaccine are expected with the 2009 H1N1 flu shot and 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine.

The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. Some minor side effects that could occur are soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site, low grade fever or aches.

The viruses in the nasal-spray vaccine are weakened and do not cause severe symptoms often associated with influenza illness. In clinical studies, transmission of vaccine viruses to close contacts has occurred only rarely.

In children, side effects from LAIV can include runny nose, wheezing, vomiting, headache, muscle aches and fever. In adults, side effects from LAIV can include runny nose, sore throat, headache and cough.

Vaccine side effects should not deter people. These side effects are unusual, mild and nothing compared to suffering a bout of the flu.

• Pam Graber is the public information officer for Carson City Health and Human Services.