Vaccine
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Despite relatively high vaccination coverage rates in the European Region, vaccine hesitancy is undermining individual and community protection from vaccine preventable diseases. At the request of its European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE), the Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization Programme of the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EURO) developed tools to help countries address hesitancy more effectively. ⋯ The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) through its Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy has closely followed the development, implementation, use and evolution of TIP concluding that TIP, with local adaptation, could be a valuable tool for use in all WHO regions, to help address countries' vaccine hesitancy problems. The TIP principles are applicable to communicable, noncommunicable and emergency planning where behavioral decisions influence outcomes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Safety and immunogenicity of candidate vaccine M72/AS01E in adolescents in a TB endemic setting.
Vaccination that prevents tuberculosis (TB) disease, particularly in adolescents, would have the greatest impact on the global TB epidemic. Safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate M72/AS01E was evaluated in healthy, HIV-negative adolescents in a TB endemic region, regardless of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) infection status. ⋯ The clinically acceptable safety and immunogenicity profile of M72/AS01E in adolescents living in an area with high TB burden support the move to efficacy trials.
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Children are scheduled to receive 18-20 immunizations before their 18th birthday in England and Wales; this approximates to 13 million vaccines administered per annum. Each immunization represents a potential opportunity for immunization-related error and effective immunization is imperative to maintain the public health benefit from immunization. Using data from a national reporting system, this study aimed to characterize pediatric immunization-related safety incident reports from primary care in England and Wales between 2002 and 2013. ⋯ This is the largest examination of reported contributory factors for immunization-related patient safety incidents in children. Our findings suggest investments in IT infrastructure to support data linkage and identification of risk predictors, development of consultation models that promote the role of parents in mitigating safety incidents, and improvement efforts to adapt and adopt best practices from elsewhere, are needed to mitigate future immunization-related patient safety incidents. These priorities are particularly pressing for vulnerable patient groups.
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Influenza is a communicable but preventable viral illness. Despite safe and effective vaccine availability, compliance rates are globally low. Neither local data on percentage of vaccination nor reasons for poor compliance among pediatric health providers are available in Qatar. ⋯ In the present study, the vaccine coverage among pediatrics HCPs seems higher than previously reported rates. Despite their positive attitude toward influenza vaccination, low acceptance and misconceptions of seasonal influenza vaccination by pediatric HCPs may have a negative effect on the successful immunization delivery and children immunization rate. Our findings would be useful for designing and implementing educational programs targeted to improve vaccination coverage rates.
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Immunocompromised patients are at increased risk for severe influenza and invasive pneumococcal diseases. Population-specific vaccine recommendations are thus warranted. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and predictors of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake in a large cohort of patients with secondary immune deficiency. ⋯ Despite specific recommendations regarding immunocompromised patients, influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates do not reach recommended levels. Targeted information campaigns on vaccination toward these populations should be implemented to improve vaccine coverage and thus reduce the burden of infections.