Influenza Vaccine in Preventing Flu in Patients Who Have Undergone Stem Cell Transplant and in Healthy Volunteers

OBJECTIVES: * To examine the incidence rate of influenza infection over two flu seasons in patients who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the City of Hope National Medical Center. * To correlate influenza infection with graft-vs-host disease, age, and transplant type in these patients. * To examine and compare the incidence rate of influenza in healthy volunteers to the incidence rate in these patients. OUTLINE: Beginning approximately 2 weeks after vaccination or the onset of flu season, patients and healthy participants undergo nasopharyngeal washes every 14-17 days (2-10 washes) during the months of November-March of the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 flu seasons. Samples are analyzed by direct fluorescent antibodies. Patients and participants complete case report forms detailing flu-like symptoms experienced in the 2 weeks before sample collection. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 150 patients and 75 healthy volunteers will be accrued for this study.