Final answer:
While the influenza vaccination generally elicits specific antibodies, it may not provide immunity against all strains due to the rapid mutation of the virus. For those with egg allergies, an egg-free vaccine option is available. Neuraminidase inhibitors can alleviate symptoms if administered early on, but vaccination is still the most effective method of prevention.
Step-by-step explanation:
Do not give the influenza vaccination if the client is allergic to eggs, as traditional flu vaccines are typically cultivated in eggs. However, for individuals 18 years or older with an egg allergy, a recombinant egg-free trivalent vaccine is available.
The flu vaccine works by eliciting antibodies in the person's body that are specific to particular flu viruses. When a person who has been vaccinated comes down with influenza, it is possible that the strain they were infected with was different enough from the vaccine's strains to prevent cross reactivity. Every year, influenza vaccines are developed to combat the strains predicted to be most prevalent, using reports from around the world. Despite this, due to rapid mutations in the influenza virus through antigenic drift and antigenic shift, a person may still contract a different strain not covered by the vaccine, leading to infection.
Moreover, influenza neuraminidase inhibitors, such as zanamivir, oseltamivir, and peramivir, can be used to shorten the course of the disease if taken at the onset of symptoms. They work by impairing the virus's ability to exit the infected host cells. Nonetheless, vaccination remains the most effective method of controlling influenza outbreaks.