Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics
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Hum Vaccin Immunother · Jan 2018
Beliefs, attitudes, and activities of healthcare personnel about influenza and pneumococcal vaccines.
Vaccination of healthcare personnel (HCP) is an effective measure for preventing the spread of influenza among at-risk patients. This study was conducted to determine influenza vaccination rates and activities among HCP working at a tertiary healthcare setting. ⋯ Our results indicated that influenza vaccination rates are low in our whole HCP sample, with physicians having a slightly better rate than other HCP. Getting regularly vaccinated, having an educational level of college or higher, being a physician, and having a professional experience of more than 5 years positively affects the rate of future vaccinations. Physicians significantly more commonly recommended and prescribed the influenza vaccine than the pneumococcal vaccine. The most important reasons for getting vaccinated included having the opinion that the vaccine provided partial protection and intending to protect family members from infection. In our whole HCP sample, the reasons of not getting vaccinated against influenza included fear of vaccine's adverse effects and doubts about its efficacy and safety. Training meetings should be held for HCPs to underscore the importance of the influenza vaccine for protection of patients against the influenza.
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Hum Vaccin Immunother · Jan 2018
Vaccination in pregnancy: Attitudes of nurses, midwives and health visitors in England.
To examine amongst healthcare professionals in England; knowledge of vaccinations in pregnancy, their perceived roles in these programmes and whether they recommend scheduled vaccines to pregnant women. ⋯ Immunisation training is essential if healthcare workers are to be informed and confident in effectively delivering the maternal immunisation programme and thus improving uptake of vaccines in pregnancy. These findings are important in tailoring educational programmes and addressing the training needs of different healthcare professional groups.
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The benefit of influenza vaccines is difficult to estimate due to the complexity of accurately assessing the burden of influenza. To improve the efficacy of influenza vaccines, vaccine manufacturers have developed quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) formulations for seasonal vaccination by including both influenza B lineages. ⋯ The second approach is a cell culture-derived influenza vaccine, and the third and most recent is synthetic vaccines. Here, we analyze the difficulties with vaccines production in eggs and compare this to cell culture-derived influenza vaccines and discuss the future of cell culture-derived QIVs.
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Hum Vaccin Immunother · Jan 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialSerological responses to rotavirus NSP2 following administration of RV3-BB human neonatal rotavirus vaccine.
Serum rotavirus IgA responses are an imperfect non-mechanistic correlate of protection, and the lack of an accurate serological marker is a challenge to the development of new rotavirus vaccines. Serological responses to rotavirus NSP2 occur following wild-type infection; however, it is unknown if serological responses to NSP2 occur following administration of rotavirus vaccines. The phase IIa immunogenicity trial of RV3-BB provided an opportunity to investigate the serological responses to NSP2 following vaccination. ⋯ Despite significant serum IgA response against total RV3-BB, we were unable to demonstrate a significant serological response to NSP2 in participants receiving RV3-BB when compared to placebo. Heterotypic antibodies against multiple NSP2 genotypes were detected following RV3-BB vaccination. Our data demonstrates that while serological responses to NSP2 were detectable in a subset of participants, it is a less useful marker when compared to total rotavirus serum IgA response.
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Hum Vaccin Immunother · Jan 2018
Influenza vaccination coverage estimates in the fee-for service Medicare beneficiary population 2006 - 2016: Using population-based administrative data to support a geographic based near real-time tool.
Older adults are at great risk of developing serious complications from seasonal influenza. We explore vaccination coverage estimates in the Medicare population through the use of administrative claims data and describe a tool designed to help shape outreach efforts and inform strategies to help raise influenza vaccination rates. ⋯ Utilization of this tool can assist key actors interested in prevention - medical groups, health plans, hospitals, and state and local public health authorities - in supporting strategies for reaching pools of unvaccinated beneficiaries where general national population estimates of coverage are less informative. Implementing evidence-based tools can be used to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities and prevent a substantial number of influenza cases and hospitalizations.