Editing Overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (section)

== Prevention ==
Measures to prevent OPSI include vaccination, prophylactic antibiotics and [[patient education]].<ref name="pmid11843905">{{cite journal|vauthors=Davidson RN, Wall RA|date=December 2001|title=Prevention and management of infections in patients without a spleen|journal=Clinical Microbiology and Infection|volume=7|issue=12|pages=657–60|doi=10.1046/j.1198-743x.2001.00355.x|pmid=11843905|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="BMJ1996">{{cite journal | title=Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of infection in patients with an absent or dysfunctional spleen. Working Party of the British Committee for Standards in Haematology Clinical Haematology Task Force | journal=BMJ | year=1996 | pages=430–4 | volume=312 | issue=7028 | pmid=8601117 | url=http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/312/7028/430 | pmc= 2350106 | doi=10.1136/bmj.312.7028.430| author1=Working Party of the British Committee for Standards in Haematology Clinical Haematology Task Force }}</ref><ref name="BMJ2001">{{cite journal  |vauthors=Davies JM, etal | title=The prevention and treatment of infection in patients with an absent or dysfunctional spleen - British Committee for Standards in Haematology Guideline up-date | journal=BMJ | date=2001-06-02 |  url= |volume=312|issue=7028|pages=430–4|doi=10.1136/bmj.312.7028.430 | pmid=8601117 | pmc=2350106}}</ref>

=== Patient education ===
Knowledge of the risks of asplenia correlates with a greatly reduced risk of OPSI, thus [[patient education]] is vital to preventing OPSI and may be the most important factor for preventing OPSI.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Downing|first1=Mark A.|last2=Omar|first2=Ahmed H.|last3=Sabri|first3=Elham|last4=McCarthy|first4=Anne E.|date=August 2011|title=Information on the Internet for asplenic patients: a systematic review|journal=Canadian Journal of Surgery|language=en|volume=54|issue=4|pages=232–236|doi=10.1503/cjs.005510|pmid=21651833|pmc=3191896}}</ref> More and more people are increasingly getting their healthcare information from the internet and the lack of reliable, readable and comprehensive information on the risks of [[asplenia]] and [[splenectomy]] poses a preventable risk factor for asplenic individuals.<ref name=":1" /> The majority (as many as 84%) of asplenic individuals are unaware of the risks of asplenia.<ref name=":0" /> Encouraging the wearing of [[Medical identification tag|bracelets]] with information about the condition, the carrying of antibiotics, seeking [[medical advice]] before travel, especially to places where [[malaria]] and [[babesia]] is endemic and seeking immediate medical attention following a [[Animal bite|bite from an animal]] has been shown to reduce OPSI risk.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Luu2019" />

===Vaccination===
The [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]]'s annual vaccine recommendations includes specifics for individuals without a functioning spleen.<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 Adult Schedule by Health Conditions in Easy-to-read Format for Patients |url=https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/adult-conditions-easyread.html |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=19 June 2018}}</ref>

[[The Green Book (immunisation guidance, UK)]] in chapter 7<ref>{{cite web |title=Immunisation of individuals with underlying medical conditions: the green book, chapter 7 |date=10 January 2020 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immunisation-of-individuals-with-underlying-medical-conditions-the-green-book-chapter-7 |access-date=2023-08-24}}</ref> covers immunisation of people with underlying medical conditions that affect immunity which includes asplenic patients.

As there are a range of different pneumococcal vaccines, the patient should be offered the most up to date ones (typically 23 valent polysaccharide vaccine and 13 valent conjugate vaccine), if they have not had them already as part of standard schedule.  Repeat doses are recommended in patients without a spleen.

The CDC recommends against live vaccines and has specific advice for travellers, which includes malaria avoidance for asplenic individuals.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Camille Nelson Kotton |author2=Andrew T. Kroger |author3=David O. Freedman |author-link1=Immunocompromised Travelers |title=Advising Travelers with Specific Needs |url=https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/advising-travelers-with-specific-needs/immunocompromised-travelers |website=Travelers' Health |access-date=25 October 2018}}</ref>