[Vaccination of children in 1999]

Childhood immunization programs are regularly reevaluated to take into account epidemiologic changes in the diseases covered by the vaccines as well as the development of new vaccines. Among the significant additions brought in Belgium to the childhood immunization program in recent years are immunization against hepatitis B during infancy, as well as the administration of a second dose of measle-mumps-rubella vaccine around the age of 12 years. The switch to inactivated polio vaccine will be proposed until the eradication of this disease which is expected in a few years. Combination vaccines including all injectable vaccines recommended for administration during the first year of life including acellular pertussis are in their final stage of development.