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Infectious diseases and vaccination strategies: how to protect the "unprotectable"?

Elena Bozzola1, Mauro Bozzola2, Valeria Calcaterra2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric and Infectious Disease Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, 00100 Rome, Italy.

ISRN Preventive Medicine
|July 1, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Infants too young for vaccines face severe risks from infectious diseases like pertussis, measles, and varicella. Vaccination strategies for adults and healthcare providers are crucial to protect vulnerable infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Infants too young for vaccination are highly susceptible to severe illness and death from common infectious diseases.
  • Circulating infectious diseases pose a significant risk to unvaccinated infants, often necessitating hospitalization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the severity and complications of pertussis, measles, and varicella in infants ineligible for vaccination.
  • To highlight the need for enhanced immunization strategies to protect vulnerable infant populations.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records for infants hospitalized with pertussis, measles, or varicella.
  • Data collected from February 1, 2010, to February 1, 2012.

Main Results:

  • 21 infants hospitalized for pertussis, 18 for measles, and 32 for varicella were analyzed.
  • Complicated disease courses were observed in 42% of pertussis, 66% of measles, and 78% of varicella cases.

Conclusions:

  • High rates of complicated illness underscore the danger infectious diseases pose to unvaccinated infants.
  • Implementing comprehensive immunization strategies, including vaccinating healthcare providers and close contacts, is essential to prevent disease transmission to infants.

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