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Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccination in Children Aged 6-59 Months during the Inaugural 2022-2023 Season in
Almudena Palma-García1, David Moreno-Pérez2, Mario Rivera-Izquierdo3
1Preventive Medicine and Public Health Service, Puerto Real University Hospital, Puerto Real, Spain.
Insights
Influenza vaccination in children aged 6-59 months demonstrated moderate effectiveness in preventing infection (51%) and high effectiveness in preventing hospitalization (69%). This supports the importance of childhood influenza vaccination programs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Influenza poses a significant risk to children under five, with high incidence and hospitalization rates.
- Andalusia introduced systematic influenza vaccination for children aged 6-59 months for the first time in the 2022-2023 season.
- This age group is particularly vulnerable to severe outcomes from influenza infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the inaugural influenza vaccination campaign in children aged 6-59 months in Andalusia.
- To determine the vaccine effectiveness (VE) against influenza infection and influenza-related hospitalizations in this pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A population-based, retrospective cohort study was conducted during the 2022-2023 influenza season.
- The study included 287,661 children aged 6-59 months at the start of the vaccination campaign.
- Adjusted vaccine effectiveness was calculated using multivariable logistic regression models comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
Main Results:
- Overall VE against influenza infection in children aged 6-59 months was 51% (95% CI: 48%-53%).
- VE against influenza-related hospitalization in this group was 69% (95% CI: 56%-79%).
- Higher VE for both infection and hospitalization was observed with a two-dose vaccination schedule, particularly in children aged 6-23 months.
Conclusions:
- Influenza vaccination is moderately effective in preventing influenza infection and highly effective in preventing influenza-related hospitalizations in young children.
- The findings underscore the critical need to enhance influenza vaccination coverage in the 6-59 month age group.
- Systematic vaccination programs are vital for reducing the burden of influenza in pediatric populations.
Objective:
To estimate the effectiveness of influenza vaccination when systematic vaccination against influenza was introduced for the first time in Andalusia for the children aged 6 through 59 months, an age group with one of the highest incidence and influenza-related hospitalization rates each season.
Study Design:
Population-based, retrospective cohort study during the 2022-2023 influenza season of 287 661 children aged 6-59 months at the beginning of the inaugural 2022-2023 vaccination campaign. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness (VE) was calculated by estimating multivariable logistic regression models for likelihood of influenza diagnosis in vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
Results:
In children aged 6-59 months, VE was 51% (95% CI: 48%-53%) for preventing infection and 69% (95% CI: 56%-79%) for preventing influenza-related hospitalization. In children aged 6-23 months, VE was 53% (95% CI: 48%-57%) for preventing influenza and 76% (95% CI: 57%-87%) for preventing hospitalization due to influenza. In both subpopulations, VE was significantly higher with the two-dose vaccination schedule.
Conclusions:
Influenza vaccination shows moderate effectiveness in preventing influenza and high effectiveness in preventing influenza-related hospitalization in children aged 6-59 months. This highlights the importance of strengthening influenza vaccination coverage in this age group.
