immune system - confused

[cristiana]

Hello everyone

I'm very confused... maybe someone can help?!

I'm given flu shots and even this year was offered a pneumonia vaccine because I'm a coeliac and presumably considered to be more vulnerable.  When I asked about this the NHS doctors said to me, being a coeliac is an excellent reason to have these injections.  And yet this report (it dates from 2012) says 

Celiac disease doesn’t affect the immune system at all. If anything, those with celiac disease have a stronger immune system.

 (Updated August, 2012.)

https://www.cureceliacdisease.org/tag/immune-system/

Can anyone explain this, as this report also seems to fly against my gastroenterologist's advice who says says as a coeliac my system would be somewhat compromised, what ever that means!

Thanks!

 

 

[RMJ]

It doesn’t make sense to me scientifically that someone with celiac would have a compromised immune system.  It is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself.  With some other autoimmune diseases patients are given drugs to suppress the immune system, then they are more vulnerable.

Scientific consensus does change sometimes with new data.  I would go with the most recent FAQ in your link (2017).

[cyclinglady]

Some celiacs do have immune issues like CVID.  It is why the celiac IgG tests were developed in conjunction to the IgA tests.  

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/common-variable-immune-deficiency

I imagine doctors recall this fact and encourage all celiacs to get their vaccinations.  

I do not yet qualify for the pneumonia shot due to my age.  I do get my flu shot and and hoping that researchers and drug companies can come up with one flu shot that takes care of all flu strains.  Wouldn’t that be nice?  

I encourage anyone to get the flu shot.  I am in LA where the new Corona Virus has been found.  I know my current flu shot does not work on the Corona virus, but I am hoping that if I do get it, it won’t be so bad.   Besides, more people die from the regular flu.  That should be more worrisome, but somehow people do not think that it is!  

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/01/24/coronavirus-versus-flu-influenza-deadlier-than-wuhan-china-disease/4564133002/

[BuddhaBar]

Different T-cells recognize and reacts to different pathogens. The cells that react to gluten are not the same cells that reacts to viruses. If you don't have any other disease that impare your immune system, I don't see any reason why you should be more at risk than any other healthy human being.
And flu shots are not very effective. Flu vaccines are manufactured extremely quickly as flu viruses vary from year to year. Flu viruses can also mutate during the season. Due to this, the effectiveness of flu shots are pretty low compared to other vaccines. This year it's 60% effective which is pretty high. Some years the effectiveness hasn't even reached 30%.
I've been taking the flu shot ever since I started working in health care. 11 years, 11 flu shots, 4 influenzas.
 

[cristiana]

Thank you so much everyone for responding.  As I see it, then, coeliacs are no more at risk than any other health individual of catching flu?  But if that is the case, I wonder why we are given flu shots in the UK, along with diabetics, the elderly, etc?  I'm still a bit confused.??

Oh... but just editing this as I have only just seen the info about CVID, cyclinglady...  Perhaps that's  the reason.

[cristiana]

I've just found this... it looks as if Coeliac UK are saying the need for flu jabs should be decided on an individual basis.  Perhaps rather than assess people on an individual basis, it's just easier to give all us coeliacs the injection! 

However, there is an interesting bit of information included in this which discusses reduced splenic function - and therefore it's a good idea for coeliacs to have the pneumococcal vaccine.   Sharing in case of interest.

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/management/vaccinations/

[NNowak]

Applying common sense and personal preference to this topic, it’s a reasonable argument that if you weren’t susceptible to viruses before your celiac diagnosis, you won’t be more susceptible after. In fact, now that you are addressing the health of your immune system through proper diet, you will be less susceptible than before your diagnosis. Even though I’m in the midst of an autoimmune flare, I’m far less susceptible to viruses than my husband and teenage children. Personally, I do get the flu shot yearly, and keep up on my pneumonia vaccine. I’ve had pneumonia several times as a teen and young adult, so I’d rather be safe than sorry. You may want to skip the vaccinations while you’re still healing and reassess next year after you’ve had a chance to research and better understand.  

[BuddhaBar]

2 hours ago, cristiana said:

Thank you so much everyone for responding.  As I see it, then, coeliacs are no more at risk than any other health individual of catching flu?  But if that is the case, I wonder why we are given flu shots in the UK, along with diabetics, the elderly, etc?  I'm still a bit confused.??

Oh... but just editing this as I have only just seen the info about CVID, cyclinglady...  Perhaps that's  the reason.

It's not about the risk of catching the flu. It's about the risk of getting serious complications from the flu. If a person with a serious lung disease catch the flu and get a respiratory infection it can be fatal. 

Here in Norway celiacs are not mentioned as one of the high risk groups. Even if celiacs are at a higher risk of developing certain other diseases that might put us in one of the high risk groups, most celiacs are just celiacs, and on a gluten free diet we are healthy. 

[cristiana]

Thank you all, things are a lot clearer in my mind now.  

[RMJ]

I’m curious - in the US the flu vaccine is recommended every year for almost everybody.  Is that not the case in the UK?

[cristiana]

Hi RMJ

Anyone can have one - the pharmacies provide them -  but if you want a free one, paid for by the National Health Service, you have to meet certain criteria:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/who-should-have-flu-vaccine/#flu-vaccine-for-people-with-medical-conditions

The NHS is brilliant, but under great pressure, so a lot of things need to be rationed in this way.  

Cristiana

 

 

[RMJ]

Hi Cristiana,

Interesting.  Here the flu vaccine is one of the few things that health insurance pays for even before one has met the deductible.