Vaccine
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In 2009, during the influenza A (H1N1)v pandemic, the French Health authorities recommended influenza immunisation for pregnant women because of the higher risk of serious influenza outcomes in that population. Thus, the non-adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine Panenza(®) was administered to French women from the second trimester of pregnancy. Several studies suggest that inactivated seasonal influenza vaccines are safe during pregnancy but there are few data about the effects of new A (H1N1)vaccines (new antigen) on pregnant women. ⋯ This study does not reveal any sign of safety concerns regarding the effects of the vaccine on pregnancy outcomes.
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Infection with dengue virus is a major public health problem in the Asia-Pacific region and throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Vaccination represents a major opportunity to control dengue and several candidate vaccines are in development. ⋯ Major recommendations arising from the meeting included: ascertaining and publicising the full burden and cost of dengue; changing the perception of dengue in non-endemic countries to help generate global support for dengue vaccination; ensuring high quality active surveillance systems and diagnostics; and identifying sustainable sources of funding, both to support vaccine introduction and to maintain the vaccination programme. The attendees at the meeting were in agreement that with the introduction of an effective vaccine, dengue is a disease that could be controlled, and that in order to ensure a vaccine is introduced as rapidly as possible, there is a need to start preparing now.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate existing policies regarding recommended and mandatory occupational vaccinations for health-care workers (HCWs) in Europe. A standardized questionnaire was sent to experts in Infection Control or Occupational Health in all 27 European Union Member States, as well as Norway, Russia, and Switzerland. All 30 countries have established policies about HCW vaccination against vaccine-preventable diseases. ⋯ Vaccination against hepatitis B and annual vaccination against seasonal influenza are almost universally recommended for HCWs in Europe (29 countries each, including eight countries where vaccination against hepatitis B is mandatory or required for employment). Policies regarding HCW vaccination also exist against mumps (12 countries), measles or rubella (15 countries), varicella (17 countries), diphtheria-tetanus (14 countries), pertussis (9 countries), poliomyelitis (11 countries), hepatitis A (11 countries), tuberculosis (BCG vaccine) (9 countries), and against meningococcus group C or meningococci groups A, C, W135, Y (tetravalent vaccine) (in 4 countries each). Re-evaluation of occupational vaccine policies for HCWs in Europe on a consensus basis is imperative in order to promote HCW and patient safety.
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Seasonal influenza places a major burden on public health. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and over 40% of national governments recommend vaccination of at-risk groups. However, no systematic global data are available to assess vaccine provision nor the effect of immunization policies. ⋯ In the sub-group analysis, the presence of official public health authority vaccination recommendations did not correlate well with higher vaccine supply (positive:negative correlation=1.3:1), while reimbursement (4.5:1) and the use of wide-scale communication activities (5.3:1) correlated more strongly than development status (2.7:1). This study shows that globally vaccination levels remain low, and official vaccination recommendations alone are insufficient to drive higher coverage. Rather, policy measures that directly impact patients (i.e. reimbursement and communication) appear more effective, irrespective of countries' development status, and therefore may do more to help protect local populations against influenza.