Annual Vaccination Research Articles

Proportional of wheezing events in asthmatic children post-vaccination of annual flu vaccine

Background: The common childhood chronic disease asthma causes hospitalisation and exacerbations due to respiratory tract viral infections like influenza. Due to uncertainty about the benefits and role of influenza vaccines in preventing asthma exacerbations, many children with asthma do not receive them, despite recommendations from organisations like the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunisation. There are two main types of influenza vaccines: intramuscular trivalent inactivated and intranasal cold-adapted, live attenuated. Both vaccines are highly immunogenic and induce an adequate immune response, but their clinical efficacy varies by season and age. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of increased wheeze rates in stable asthmatic children who received the annual flu vaccine, compared to a control group of asthmatic children who did not receive the vaccine. Methods: A retrospective study at the Queen Rania Abdullah for Children Hospital in Amman, Jordan, examined the vaccination status of 200 asthmatic children aged 3-14. The study focused on recurrent wheezing episodes and the minimum 12-month period between the last annual flu vaccination and asthmatic exacerbation. The study excluded uncontrolled or partially controlled patients for the past 12 months. Data was collected from demographic information, vaccination history, and past wheezing episodes. The children were divided into two groups, one without the flu vaccine and the other with the flu vaccine. A comprehensive questionnaire was used to assess sociodemographic and disease-related factors. If children received the vaccination as per the National Vaccination Schedule, their vaccination status was considered complete. Results: A study of 200 asthmatic children in Jordan found that 35% did not receive a flu vaccine, placing them in Group I. 65% had received a flu vaccine in the previous year. Males had higher distribution rates in both flu-based groups, with a statistically insignificant positive correlation. Age categories showed similar distribution rates, with 21.0% for 3-6 years, 34.0% for 6-9 years, 37.5% for 9-12 years, and 7.5% for 12-15 years. No significant correlation was found between receiving the flu vaccine and wheezing rates in the last seasonal year. Frequent wheezing episodes were higher in experienced groups than in naïve groups.

Evaluation of Strategies for Transitioning to Annual SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Campaigns in the United States.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed administering annual SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. To evaluate the effectiveness of an annual SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign, quantify the health and economic benefits of a second dose provided to children younger than 2 years and adults aged 50 years or older, and optimize the timing of a second dose. An age-structured dynamic transmission model. United States. A synthetic population reflecting demographics and contact patterns in the United States. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 with age-specific uptake similar to that of influenza vaccination. Incidence, hospitalizations, deaths, and direct health care cost. The optimal timing between the first and second dose delivered to children younger than 2 years and adults aged 50 years or older in an annual vaccination campaign was estimated to be 5 months. In direct comparison with a single-dose campaign, a second booster dose results in 123 869 fewer hospitalizations (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 121 994 to 125 742 fewer hospitalizations) and 5524 fewer deaths (95% UI, 5434 to 5613 fewer deaths), averting $3.63 billion (95% UI, $3.57 billion to $3.69 billion) in costs over a single year. Population immunity is subject to degrees of immune evasion for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The model was implemented in the absence of nonpharmaceutical interventions and preexisting vaccine-acquired immunity. The direct health care costs of SARS-CoV-2, particularly among adults aged 50 years or older, would be substantially reduced by administering a second dose 5 months after the initial dose. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Notsew Orm Sands Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Science Foundation.

Seroepidemiological survey to cell culture rabies vaccines (CCRV) in Brazil

Rabies is a contagious viral disease that can be easily transmitted by the saliva and brain/nervous system tissues of the infected animals, causing severe and fatal encephalitis in both animals and humans. Vaccination campaigns are crucial to combat and prevent rabies's spread in dogs and humans. The Modified Fuenzalida & Palicios vaccines have been widely used since the 70s and have proven effective in producing a solid serological response. Since 2008, the Brazilian Ministry of Health has introduced a Cell Culture Rabies Vaccine (CCRV) for all dog mass vaccination campaigns in Brazil. However, to date, there is limited evidence on the immunologic response of dogs to this type of vaccine in field conditions. The present study evaluated the serological response in dogs vaccinated with CCRV from blood samples of 724 dogs using the Simplified Fluorescence Inhibition Microtest – SFIMT. Dogs with a titer equal to 0.5 IU/mL or above were considered seropositive. The results revealed that 59.12% (428/724) of all dogs tested and 48.49% (32/66) of primo-vaccinated animals were seropositive. The percentage of seronegative animals was higher than seropositive for animals that received a single dose during their life (p < 0.05). The opposite was observed in animals with five or more doses. The results of this study demonstrated that the CCRV vaccines elicit a satisfactory immunological response in field conditions and can constitute an essential population-level preventive strategy as part of annual canine rabies vaccination campaigns. Although its effectiveness has been studied, there is limited evidence of its immunological response in dogs under field conditions. This paper evaluates the serological response to CCRV in dogs vaccinated during mass vaccination campaigns from 2012 to 2017.

Recent Advances, Approaches and Challenges in the Development of Universal Influenza Vaccines.

Every year, influenza virus infections cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. They pose a substantial burden of disease, in terms of not only health but also the economy. Owing to the ability of influenza viruses to continuously evolve, annual seasonal influenza vaccines are necessary as a prophylaxis. However, current influenza vaccines against seasonal strains have limited effectiveness and require yearly reformulation due to the virus undergoing antigenic drift or shift. Vaccine mismatches are common, conferring suboptimal protection against seasonal outbreaks, and the threat of the next pandemic continues to loom. Therefore, there is a great need to develop a universal influenza vaccine (UIV) capable of providing broad and durable protection against all influenza virus strains. In the quest to develop a UIV that would obviate the need for annual vaccination and formulation, a multitude of strategies is currently underway. Promising approaches include targeting the highly conserved epitopes of haemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA), M2 extracellular domain (M2e) and internal proteins of the influenza virus. The identification and characterization of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) targeting conserved regions of the viral HA protein, in particular, have provided important insight into novel vaccine designs and platforms. This review discusses universal vaccine approaches presently under development, with an emphasis on those targeting the highly conserved stalk of the HA protein, recent technological advancements used and the future prospects of a UIV in terms of its advantages, developmental obstacles and potential shortcomings.

How the Timing of Annual COVID-19 Vaccination of Nursing Home Residents and Staff Affects Its Value

ObjectivesTo evaluate the epidemiologic, clinical, and economic value of an annual nursing home (NH) COVID-19 vaccine campaign and the impact of when vaccination starts. DesignAgent-based model representing a typical NH. Setting and ParticipantsNH residents and staff. MethodsWe used the model representing an NH with 100 residents, its staff, their interactions, COVID-19 spread, and its health and economic outcomes to evaluate the epidemiologic, clinical, and economic value of varying schedules of annual COVID-19 vaccine campaigns. ResultsAcross a range of scenarios with a 60% vaccine efficacy that wanes starting 4 months after protection onset, vaccination was cost saving or cost-effective when initiated in the late summer or early fall. Annual vaccination averted 102 to 105 COVID-19 cases when 30-day vaccination campaigns began between July and October (varying with vaccination start), decreasing to 97 and 85 cases when starting in November and December, respectively. Starting vaccination between July and December saved $3340 to $4363 and $64,375 to $77,548 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and societal perspectives, respectively (varying with vaccination start). Vaccination's value did not change when varying the COVID-19 peak between December and February. The ideal vaccine campaign timing was not affected by reducing COVID-19 levels in the community, or varying transmission probability, preexisting immunity, or COVID-19 severity. However, if vaccine efficacy wanes more quickly (over 1 month), earlier vaccination in July resulted in more cases compared with vaccinating later in October. Conclusions and ImplicationsAnnual vaccination of NH staff and residents averted the most cases when initiated in the late summer through early fall, at least 2 months before the COVID-19 winter peak but remained cost saving or cost-effective when it starts in the same month as the peak. This supports tethering COVID vaccination to seasonal influenza campaigns (typically in September-October) for providing protection against SARS-CoV-2 winter surges in NHs.

Review on the Economic Impacts of Lumpy Skin Disease of Cattle and its Prevention and Control Strategies in Ethiopia

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an infectious disease of cattle, caused by a Lumpy Skin Disease Virus. It is an economically important viral disease of cattle affecting all ages and breeds that can be prevented by vaccination in endemic regions including Ethiopia. LSD is an OIE listed disease because of considerable financial losses and in Ethiopia due to the endemic nature of LSD; the country is facing serious difficulties in exporting live cattle and their products. In addition, this situation contributes a negative impact on the national economic growth through the loss of meat and milk production and poor quality of skin and hides. Serious economic losses can follow outbreaks that have a high morbidity and high mortality rates of 40 percent or more have been encountered. There is no specific antiviral treatment available for LSD-infected cattle. The disease is now the problem of almost all the regions and agro ecological zones of Ethiopia. Major outbreaks of LSD have been occurred in different regions of Ethiopia. Two vaccines, however, Neethling and Kenya sheep and goat pox virus, have been used widely in Africa with success. Preventing movement the diseased animals along with vector control, regular annual vaccinations and awareness creation for cattle owners play great role in disease prevention and control. The disease outbreak was observed in the cattle regardless of previous vaccination with Kenyan sheep- and goat pox vaccine the occurrence of LSD outbreak scale, despite the use of a vaccination regime, is suggestive of vaccine failure. Apparent emerging vaccine failure is a serious problem for efficient control of LSD, as the disease has been manifested by high morbidity and mortality rates, regardless of vaccination status. Consequently continuous surveillance on the status of the disease and genetic information on circulating field viruses is mandatory in order to take effective measures for the control of the disease in the country.

Association Between Influenza Vaccination During Pregnancy and Infant Influenza Vaccination

(Obstet Gynecol. 2023;141:563–569) Vaccines are safe and effective in preventing illness, including in mildly immunosuppressed individuals such as pregnant women. Influenza vaccines have been in use for decades and have been shown to be safe and effective at preventing illness in both mother and child, providing protection through the transplacental transfer of antibodies to infants too young to receive their own vaccination. Influenza presents increased risks to pregnant individuals as well as adverse outcomes for fetuses and infants. Annual influenza vaccinations are recommended for everyone 6 months and older, but rates of annual vaccinations are chronically low. This study was designed to evaluate the association between influenza vaccination during pregnancy and infant influenza vaccination.

An alternative strategy to increasing influenza virus replication for vaccine production in chicken embryo fibroblast (DF-1) cells by inhibiting interferon alpha and beta using peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers.

Introduction. Influenza is a global health issue causing substantial health and economic burdens on affected populations. Routine, annual vaccination for influenza virus is recommended for all persons older than 6 months of age. The propagation of the influenza virus for vaccine production is predominantly through embryonated chicken eggs.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Many challenges face the propagation of the virus, including but not limited to low yields and lengthy production times. The development of a method to increase vaccine production in eggs or cell lines by suppressing cellular gene expression would be helpful to overcome some of the challenges facing influenza vaccine production.Aims. This study aimed to increase influenza virus titres by using a peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PPMO), an antisense molecule, to suppress protein expression of the host genes interferon alpha (IFN-α) and interferon beta (IFN-β) in chicken embryo fibroblast (DF-1) cells.Methods. The toxicity of PPMOs was evaluated by cytotoxicity assays, and their specificity to inhibit IFN-α and IFN-β proteins was measured by ELISA. We evaluated the potential of anti-IFN-α and anti-IFN-β PPMOs to reduce the antiviral proteins in influenza virus-infected DF-1 cells and compared the virus titres to untreated controls, nonsense-PPMO and JAK/STAT inhibitors. The effects of complementation and reconstitution of IFN-α and IFN-β proteins in PPMO-treated-infected cells were evaluated, and the virus titres were compared between treatment groups.Results. Suppression of IFN-α by PPMO resulted in significantly reduced levels of IFN-α protein in treated wells, as measured by ELISA and was shown to not have any cytotoxicity to DF-1 cells at the effective concentrations tested. Treatment of the self-directing PPMOs increased the ability of the influenza virus to replicate in DF-1 cells. Over a 2-log10 increase in viral production was observed in anti-IFN-α and IFN-β PPMO-treated wells compared to those of untreated controls at the initial viral input of 0.1 multiplicity of infection. The data from complementation and reconstitution of IFN-α and IFN-β proteins in PPMO-treated-infected cells was about 82 and 97% compared to the combined PPMO-treated but uncomplemented group and untreated group, respectively. There was a 0.5-log10 increase in virus titre when treated with anti-IFN-α and IFN-β PPMO compared to virus titre when treated with JAK/STAT inhibitors.Conclusions. This study emphasizes the utility of PPMO in allowing cell cultures to produce increased levels of influenza for vaccine production or alternatively, as a screening tool to cheaply test targets prior to the development of permanent knockouts of host gene expression.

Effectiveness of a Program to Raise Awareness About Pneumococcal Vaccination Among Physicians and Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

There is a need to increase patient and clinician awareness on the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination in at-risk groups. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of reminders for physicians and patients using the vaccination tracking system created in the hospital information management system (HIMS) on the vaccination rate, and the effect of pneumococcal vaccination on pneumonia-related hospitalization and mortality over a 12-month period. This prospective observational cohort study was undertaken during a 2-year period in 3 tertiary care centers. Patients were followed up for 12 months following vaccination, and hospital admissions and mortality were recorded via HIMS. During the campaign, HIMS transmitted pneumococcal immunization reminder messages in accordance with guideline recommendations to physicians' computers and patients' mobile phones. Educational posters on pneumococcal vaccination were posted in outpatient clinics. Regular seminars on the evidence for pneumococcal vaccination were organized. All patients who were hospitalized during the follow-up period for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung cancer, or pneumonia were analyzed in relation to their vaccination history regarding clinical outcomes. A total of 29530 patients were included in the study. During the study period, the annual vaccination rate increased by 74.4% and reached 4.8% in 3 hospitals (P = .001). The rates were 3.9% in patients older than 65 years without comorbidities and 5.2% in those with COPD and asthma (P = .002). In pneumococcal vaccine recipients, pneumonia-related hospital mortality was lower (relative risk (RR) = 0.19, CI 0.09-0.35, P < .001). It is possible to raise the rate of pneumococcal vaccination through awareness campaigns. Individuals with COPD and asthma are more willing to receive pneumococcal vaccination. Among patients hospitalized for pneumonia, prior pneumococcal vaccination is associated with lower mortalit.

Пространственно-временной анализ природно-очаговых заболеваний (сибирская язва) на территории Северо-Казахстанской области

The article presents the results of study of actual focal disease for the North Kazakhstan region – anthrax. The historically established livestock specialization and excessive concentration of livestock in a limited area (albeit short-term), the presence of favorable natural and landscape conditions for the preservation of the causative agent of anthrax infection (primarily the soil and climatic factor) led to the formation of numerous foci of this disease within the region. The questions of spatio-temporal manifestation and spread of anthrax infection on the territory of the region are considered. The retrospective analysis of the epizootic and epidemic processes of anthrax for 1938– 2022 was performed using archival, stock, and statistical materials. The study was carried out using GIS technologies, then a database, a series of electronic maps and a regional thematic geoinformation system “Anthrax in the North Kazakhstan region” were created. It has been determined that the greatest potential danger (epizootic and epidemic intensity) of anthrax manifestations is typical for the northern and central parts of the region. Within the boundaries of natural landscape units, the maximum risk of anthrax infection was recorded in the forest and steppe area and the valley of the river Ishim. Practical recommendations are proposed for improving measures aimed at preventing anthrax: annual full vaccination of farm animals, sanitary and epidemiological control over slaughtering points and the state of anthrax burials, establishing and maintaining a buffer zone when grazing livestock near stationary-unfavorable foci.

Social Network, Trust, Approval of President Biden, Risk Perception, and Annual COVID-19 Booster Intention

The aim of this study is to understand the American public’s attitudes toward the annual coronavirus disease booster vaccination, administered beginning in the fall of 2023. The authors carried out a national survey in the spring of 2023, with 40 percent of respondents saying that they are “very likely” to receive the regular booster when it becomes available. Several underlying predictors are identified through structural equation modeling analyses. People with more vaccine takers in their social circles, greater trust in others, higher approval of President Biden’s performance, and greater perceived risk of the pandemic are more likely to receive regular boosters. The social network has the most considerable influence, with the largest coefficient size after comparing all standardized coefficients. The effect of trust is enhanced through social networks, and there is a combined effect of President Biden’s approval and risk perception. These findings contribute to the literature and have policy implications for leveraging interventions and optimizing the vaccination campaign.

Human Papillomavirus vaccination coverage among the female population living in the state of Goiás, Brazil, 2014-2020: a time series study.

To analyze the temporal trend of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage among the female population aged 10 to 14 years, living in the state of Goiás, Brazil, between 2014 and 2022. This was an ecological time series study using data from the Brazilian National Health System Information Technology Department (Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde - DATASUS); the annual vaccination coverage rate was calculated based on the number of second doses administered; the trend of the rates was analyzed using the Prais-Winsten model. A total of 407,217 second doses of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine were administered to the female population aged 10-14 years, with annual vaccination coverage rates ranging from 12.3% (2019) to 30.0% (2015), and an annual percentage change (APC) of 0.7% (95%CI 0.9; 0.2; p-value = 0.030). In Góias state, the quadrivalent HPV vaccine coverage rate was below the national target (80%), showing a stationary trend in the time series.

Factors Associated with the Uptake of Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine Among Adolescent Girls Aged 14 Old in Hai District of Kilimanjaro Region in Northern Tanzania.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination is a key primary prevention method against cervical cancer which is given to young girls before onset of sexual activity. In Tanzania, cervical cancer is the most frequent occurring cancer among women and is the leading cause of cancer mortality. The HPV Vaccination programme was rolled-out in Tanzania in 2018 for adolescent girls aged 9-14 years to receive two doses at a six-months interval, with an annual vaccine uptake of 46.1%. In 2019, the uptake of the HPV vaccine was only 64%, whereas the national coverage target is 75%. This study aimed at assessing the determinants of HPV vaccination among adolescent girls in Hai district, Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2020 to August 2020 among 14-year-old adolescent girls in four selected secondary schools, including two government-owned and two private-owned, within Hai district. Close-ended questionnaire interviews were conducted with the adolescent girls in the study and data analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 20.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA). Odds ratio was used to assess the association between several factors and HPV vaccination. A total of 301 adolescent girls aged 14 years consented to the study. HPV vaccination uptake was 65%. More than three-fifths (n=119, 60.7%) reported having received the two required doses. Knowledge of HPV (OR 5.68; 95% CI, 0.72 to 44.96; P=.01) and HPV vaccine (OR 20.11; 95% CI, 10.88 to 37.99); P =.01) contributed significantly to HPV vaccine uptake among the adolescent girls in the study. More than one-third (n=105, 34.9%,) of the participants, were not vaccinated, the main reasons adduced for not being vaccinated include lack of proper information about the HPV vaccine (60.0%), fear of side effects (14%) and parental refusal (11%). HPV vaccination uptake was 65%. Lack of proper information to both the children and parents about the safety of the vaccine hinders its uptake. More effort should be made for clear and comprehensible dissemination of information especially to the community stakeholders mainly parents, community and religious leaders, about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine in order to considerably increase vaccination coverage among adolescent girls. Likewise, involvement of healthcare workers and policymakers in educating people about cervical cancer prevention measures can ensure successful implementation of HPV vaccination. There is need to conduct an indepth qualitative study to explore further people's perceptions and attitudes towards HPV.

Recommendations for the management of children with influenza in a primary care setting – COMPAS INFLUENZA. Update for the 2023/2024 season

Five years after publishing the first Polish recommendations on the management of influenza, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a need to update the recommendations. Influenza is an acute infectious disease of the respiratory tract that occurs in all age groups. The course of the disease may vary in severity and clinical picture, from asymptomatic to severe with symptoms of respiratory failure. The possibility of pandemic infections and serious complications distinguish influenza from other viral respiratory diseases. Diagnosis is most often clinical, and in justified cases additional tests may be helpful. The disease is characterised by a sudden onset with general symptoms such as fever, feeling cold, chills, headache, muscle and joint pain, malaise, lack of appetite and severe weakness. General symptoms are accompanied by respiratory manifestations. Physical examination shows no characteristic features. In outpatient settings during the epidemic season (October – April), the diagnosis should be made based on clinical symptoms and physical examination. Oseltamivir is recommended for both treatment and chemoprophylaxis. Clinical benefits are greatest when treatment is started as early as possible, within 48 hours of symptom onset. Clinical trials indicate that early treatment with oseltamivir may reduce both the duration of the disease and the risk of complications. Annual vaccination is the most effective method of preventing influenza, with severe anaphylactic reaction after previous vaccination being the only absolute contraindication.

Review on the Economic Impacts of Lumpy Skin Disease of Cattle and Its Prevention and Control Strategies in Ethiopia

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an infectious disease of cattle, caused by a Lumpy Skin Disease Virus. It is an economically important viral disease of cattle affecting all ages and breeds that can be prevented by vaccination in endemic regions including Ethiopia. LSD is an OIE listed disease because of considerable financial losses and in Ethiopia due to the endemic nature of LSD; the country is facing serious difficulties in exporting live cattle and their products. In addition, this situation contributes a negative impact on the national economic growth through the loss of meat and milk production and poor quality of skin and hides. Serious economic losses can follow outbreaks that have a high morbidity and high mortality rates of 40 percent or more have been encountered. There is no specific antiviral treatment available for LSD-infected cattle. The disease is now the problem of almost all the regions and agro ecological zones of Ethiopia. Major outbreaks of LSD have been occurred in different regions of Ethiopia. Two vaccines, however, Neethling and Kenya sheep and goat pox virus, have been used widely in Africa with success. Preventing movement the diseased animals along with vector control, regular annual vaccinations and awareness creation for cattle owners play great role in disease prevention and control. The disease outbreak was observed in the cattle regardless of previous vaccination with Kenyan sheep- and goat pox vaccine the occurrence of LSD outbreak scale, despite the use of a vaccination regime, is suggestive of vaccine failure. Apparent emerging vaccine failure is a serious problem for efficient control of LSD, as the disease has been manifested by high morbidity and mortality rates, regardless of vaccination status. Consequently continuous surveillance on the status of the disease and genetic information on circulating field viruses is mandatory in order to take effective measures for the control of the disease in the country.

Estimating county-level vaccination coverage using small area estimation with the National Immunization Survey-Child

The National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child) provides annual vaccination coverage estimates in the United States for children aged 19 through 35 months, nationally, for each state, and for select local areas and territories. There is a need for vaccination coverage estimates for smaller geographic areas to support local authority planning and identify counties with potentially low vaccination coverage for possible further intervention. We describe small area estimation methods using 2008-2018 NIS-Child data to generate county-level estimates for children up to two years of age born 2007-2011 and 2012-2016. We applied an empirical best linear unbiased prediction method to combine direct estimates of vaccination coverage with model-based prediction using county-level predictors regarding health and demographic characteristics. We review the predictors commonly selected for the small area models and note multiple predictors related to barriers to vaccination.

Influenza vaccination in older adults and patients with chronic disorders: A position paper from the Portuguese Society of Pulmonology, the Portuguese Society of Cardiology, the Portuguese Society of Diabetology, the Portuguese Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, the Portuguese Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, and the Study Group of Geriatrics of the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine

Influenza affects millions of people worldwide each year and can lead to severe complications, hospitalizations, and even death, especially among vulnerable populations such as older adults and those with chronic medical conditions. Annual vaccination is considered the most effective measure for preventing influenza and its complications. Despite the widespread availability of influenza vaccines, however, vaccination coverage rates remain suboptimal in several countries. Based on the latest scientific evidence and expert opinions on influenza vaccination in older people and patients with chronic disease, the Portuguese Society of Pulmonology (SPP), the Portuguese Society of Diabetology (SPD), the Portuguese Society of Cardiology (SPC), the Portuguese Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SPGG), the Study Group of Geriatrics of the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine (NEGERMI-SPMI), and the Portuguese Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SPDIMC) discussed best practices for promoting vaccination uptake and coverage and drew up several recommendations to mitigate the impact of influenza. These recommendations focus on the efficacy and safety of available vaccines; the impact of influenza vaccination on older adults; patients with chronic medical conditions, namely cardiac and respiratory conditions, diabetes, and immunosuppressive diseases; and health care professionals, optimal vaccination timing, and strategies to increase vaccination uptake and coverage. The resulting position paper highlights the critical role that vaccinations play in promoting public health, raising awareness, and encouraging more people to get vaccinated.

Analysis of adult vaccination in Shandong Province from 2018 to 2022

Objective: To analyze the utilization of adult vaccination among people aged 18 and above in Shandong Province from 2018 to 2022. Methods: Data on vaccination units in 2022 and individual cases of vaccination information for people aged 18 and above were extracted from the Shandong Immunization Information System. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the distribution of adult vaccination units and adult vaccination varieties. The total vaccination amount and vaccination rate were calculated. Results: By the end of 2022, there were 3 948 vaccination units providing adult vaccination in Shandong Province, with 0.36 adult vaccination clinics per 10 000 people. Adult vaccination including RabV(rabies vaccine for human use), InfV(influenza vaccine), HPV(human papillomavirus), HepB(hepatitis B vaccine), PPV23(23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine), MenACYW135(meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine group ACYW135), MMR(measles, mumps and rubella combined attenuated live vaccine), HEV(hepatitise E vaccine), RZV(recombinant zoster vaccine), TV(tetanus vaccine) and HF(haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome vaccine) vaccines were administered, with a cumulative dose of 40.056 9 million and an average of 0.1 doses per person per year from 2018 to 2022. The top three vaccines were RabV, InfV and HPV, accounting for 31.48%, 22.57%, and 15.93% of the total vaccination amount, respectively. The annual vaccination dose for adults increased from 3.477 3 million in 2018 to 13.308 6 million in 2022, with an average annual growth rate of 56.55%. The cumulative 5-year doses of RabV and TV were 15.90 doses per 100 people and 0.21 doses per 100 people. The average annual vaccination rate of InfV was 2.28%. The cumulative full vaccination rates of HPV, HepB, PPV23 and RZV were 12.44%, 1.61%, 0.52% and 0.17%, respectively. The cumulative 5-year doses of RabV and TV were 29.19 doses per 100 people and 0.43 doses per 100 people in the age group of 20 to<30 years old. The vaccination rates of InfV and PPV23 were 9.08% and 1.27% in the age group of 70 to<80 years old. The vaccination rate of RZV was 0.11% in the age group of 50 to<60 years old. The HPV vaccination rate was 18.09% in the age group of 20 to<30 years old, and the HepB, MenACYW135, MMR and HEV vaccination rates were 6.21%, 9.55%, 2.65%, and 2.83% in the 18-19 age group, respectively. Conclusion: There are relatively few types of adult vaccination in Shandong Province, with narrow coverage and low vaccination rates.

Efficacy and safety of pediatric flu vaccination: a systematic review

Children are at a higher risk of influenza infection compared to the general population. The World Organization Health and recommendations of the Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics contemplate annual vaccination as the most effective way to prevent the disease. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to update information on efficacy and safety in the anti -shed vaccine in children and adolescents. A search in four electronic databases (Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medline / Pubmed, Google Scholar and Cochrane), as well as a manual search to identify original research published between 2012 and 2022. The guidelines of ANALYSIS (PRISMACR) as a preferred report element for systematic reviews. Seven original research articles were included where two issues of antigripal vaccination were identified in healthy children/adolescents and with pathologies. The efficacy (between approximately 30% and 80%) varied depending on the vaccine used and circulating subtypes. Most adverse reactions were mild intensity, and the most common local adverse event was pain in the injection site. We positively highlight the safety of pediatric flu vaccination in analyzed studies, on the contrary, with respect to the efficacy of flu vaccination, we observe a wide variability of results. There is a clear need to continue conducting efficacy and safety studies in the child.

Vaccination in old age: an overview

Vaccinations against infectious diseases are ahighly effective preventive measure, especially in old age due to the higher susceptibility to infections. As the effectiveness of vaccinations decreases in old age due to immune senescence but also due to comorbidities, specific, more immunogenic vaccines have been developed for this target group. In Germany, the Standing Commission on Vaccination (STIKO) publishes annually updated vaccination recommendations also specifically for the 60+ years age group. Since 2018, standard vaccinations for this group have included herpes zoster vaccination with adjuvanted inactivated vaccine. Since 2021, the use of the quadrivalent influenza high-dose vaccine is recommended for this age group. Currently, the annual COVID-19 vaccination and the single pneumococcal vaccination with the new 20-valent conjugate vaccine have been added as standard vaccinations. The free STIKO app provides an always up to date overview of standard and indicated vaccinations for all age groups.