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[Update on childhood immunization in Switzerland]
1Institut für Infektionskrankheiten und Medizinische Universitäts-Kinderklinik, Universität Bern, Inselspital. christoph.aebi@insel.ch
Insights
Routine childhood immunization schedules are updated, replacing oral polio vaccine with inactivated polio vaccine and potentially advancing the measles vaccine. New hexavalent and pneumococcal vaccines offer improved infant protection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood immunization schedules require ongoing review and updates.
- Global efforts have nearly eradicated wild-type poliomyelitis.
- Maternal antibody decay rates influence infant vaccination timing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize recent changes and potential future amendments to routine childhood immunization recommendations.
- To highlight advancements in vaccine technology and their impact on infant immunization.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent seroepidemiologic data.
- Analysis of vaccine efficacy and safety data.
- Evaluation of updated public health recommendations for childhood immunizations.
Main Results:
- Oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) replaced by inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) in primary infant series.
- Potential shift in measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine administration to 12 months.
- Introduction of hexavalent vaccines simplifies hepatitis B immunization.
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines demonstrate high efficacy in infants for preventing invasive infections.
Conclusions:
- Immunization schedules are dynamic, adapting to disease eradication and new vaccine introductions.
- Advancements in vaccines like hexavalent and pneumococcal conjugates enhance infant protection and reduce injection burden.
- Evidence-based adjustments, such as timing of MMR vaccine, aim to optimize infant immunity.
Abstract:
The recommendations for routine childhood immunizations undergo continuous re-evaluation and are periodically amended. As a result of the near complete elimination of wild-type poliomyelitis, the oral poliomyelitis live vaccine (OPV) has been replaced by the inactivated vaccine (IPV) for the primary series in infancy. Recent seroepidemiologic data on the dynamics of decay of maternal measles antibodies in infants may lead to the recommendation of administering the first dose of the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine at twelve months rather than at 15 to 23 months of age. The recently introduced hexavalent vaccines for the primary series in infancy provide immunization against hepatitis B without the need for additional injections. Finally, the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, which are highly efficacious in infants and young children, will provide the opportunity for successful prevention of vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal infections.