 Running head: H1N1 vaccination efficacy in rheumatic diseases The Efficacy and Safety of Vaccination Against Pandemic 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Among Patients with Rheumatic Diseases Elkayam Ori, MD 1 , Amir Sharon, PhD 1 , Mendelson Ella, PhD 2 , Schwaber Mitchell, MD, MSc 3 , Grotto Itamar MD, MPH, PhD 4,5 , Wollman Jonathan, M.D 1 , Arad Uri, M.D 1 , Brill Ayelet 1 , Paran Daphna, MD 1 , Levartovsky David, MD 1 , Wigler Irena, MD 1 , Caspi Dan , MD 1 , Mandelboim Michal , PhD 2 From the 1 Department of Rheumatology, Tel Aviv Medical Center and the 2 Central Virology Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, both affiliated to the "Sackler" Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; 3 National Center for Infection Control, Israel Ministry of Health, Tel Aviv, Israel; 4 Public Health Services, Israel Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel, 5 Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel Address for correspondence: Ori Elkayam M.D Department of Rheumatology Tel Aviv Medical Center 6 Weizman Street Tel Aviv 64239, Israel Telephone: +972-3-6973668 Fax: +972-3-6974577 e-mail: oribe14@netvision.net.il Original Article Arthritis Care & Research DOI 10.1002/acr.20465 © 2011 American College of Rheumatology Received: Oct 27, 2010; Revised: Feb 19, 2011; Accepted: Feb 28, 2011