Introduction. Maternal immunization - Promises and concerns

Janet A Englund1

  • 1Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 4800 Sand Point Way NE #R5441 MA7.234, Seattle, WA 98105, United States.

Vaccine
|August 12, 2015
PubMed

In this issue of Vaccine, the maternal immunization platform as an approach to protect mothers and infants against diverse pathogens is presented. Potential vaccine targets and the safety, science, trial designs, ethical considerations, and international perspectives focusing on low and middle income countries (LMIC) are discussed. This information provides a timely update because maternal immunization is increasingly being considered as an intervention to prevent maternal and/or neonatal disease. Prioritization of vaccine targets for maternal immunization by researchers, public health officials and health care workers needs to begin now.

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