Influenza Vaccination: Effectiveness, Indications, and Limits in the Pediatric Population

Chiara Mameli1, Ilaria Cocchi1, Mara Fumagalli1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, V. Buzzi Childrens' Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|August 17, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Influenza vaccination is key for preventing the flu in children. This review examines the effectiveness, indications, and limitations of pediatric influenza vaccines, addressing low coverage rates.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Vaccinology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Influenza vaccination is the primary method for preventing influenza infections.
  • Recommended pediatric influenza vaccine coverage rates are frequently not met annually.
  • Factors contributing to low vaccine uptake include uncertainty regarding vaccination indications and reduced vaccine effectiveness in children, particularly the youngest.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current evidence on the effectiveness of influenza vaccines in the pediatric population.
  • To discuss the established indications for pediatric influenza vaccination.
  • To identify and analyze the limitations and challenges associated with influenza vaccination in children.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of recent scientific literature.
  • Analysis of epidemiological data on influenza vaccine effectiveness in children.
  • Synthesis of evidence regarding vaccination guidelines and recommendations for pediatric populations.

Main Results:

  • Influenza vaccination demonstrates significant effectiveness in preventing influenza and its complications in children.
  • Vaccine effectiveness can vary based on age, vaccine type, and circulating influenza strains.
  • Despite proven benefits, challenges remain in achieving optimal vaccine coverage and effectiveness in the youngest age groups.

Conclusions:

  • Influenza vaccination remains a critical public health intervention for pediatric populations.
  • Addressing barriers to vaccination and improving vaccine strategies are essential to enhance protection against influenza in children.
  • Further research may be needed to optimize influenza vaccine formulations and administration for improved pediatric effectiveness.

Related Concept Videos

Vaccinations01:51

Vaccinations

Overview
51.3K
Indicators02:39

Indicators

Certain organic substances change color in dilute solution when the hydronium ion concentration reaches a particular value. For example, phenolphthalein is a colorless substance in any aqueous solution with a hydronium ion concentration greater than 5.0 × 10−9 M (pH < 8.3). In more basic solutions where the hydronium ion concentration is less than 5.0 × 10−9 M (pH > 8.3), it is red or pink. Substances such as phenolphthalein, which can be used to determine the pH of a solution, are...
59.7K
Population Growth00:57

Population Growth

Population size is dynamic, increasing with birth rates and immigration, and decreasing with death rates and emigration. In ideal conditions with unlimited resources, populations can increase exponentially, which plots as a J-shaped growth rate curve of population size against time. This type of curve is characteristic of newly-introduced invasive species, or populations that have suffered catastrophic declines and are rebounding.
27.9K
Limiting Reactant02:27

Limiting Reactant

The relative amounts of reactants and products represented in a balanced chemical equation are often referred to as stoichiometric amounts. However, in reality, the reactants are not always present in the stoichiometric amounts indicated by the balanced equation.
69.4K
The Number e as a Limit01:29

The Number e as a Limit

The number e is a fundamental constant in calculus, playing a central role in describing continuous change, particularly exponential growth. It is most naturally defined through its relationship with the natural logarithm, which is the inverse of the exponential function with base e. This relationship allows e to be characterized using basic principles of differentiation rather than as an arbitrary numerical constant.A key property of the natural logarithm function, ln x, is that its derivative...
56
Conservation of Small Populations02:04

Conservation of Small Populations

Small population sizes put a species at extreme risk of extinction due to a lack of variation, and a consequent decrease in adaptability. This weakens the chances of survival under pressures such as climate change, competition from other species, or new diseases. Large populations are more likely to survive pressures such as these, as such populations are more likely to harbor individuals that have genetic variants that are adaptive under new stresses. Small populations are much less...
16.7K