Vaccine Update: Recent Progress With Novel Vaccines, and New Approaches to Safety Monitoring and Vaccine Shortage.

Vaccines are increasingly based on new constructs, new technologies, and new compounds. Novel immunization programs are rapidly implemented globally. In this article, we highlight selected hot topics of this highly dynamic and broad field of scientific and public health development.

Interpretation of primary care physicians' attitude regarding rotavirus immunisation using diffusion of innovation theories.

To evaluate primary care physicians' attitude towards implementation of rotavirus (RV) immunisation into the Swiss immunisation schedule, an eight-question internet-based questionnaire was sent to the 3799 subscribers of InfoVac, a nationwide web-based expert network on immunisation issues, which reaches >95% of paediatricians and smaller proportions of other primary care physicians. Five demographic variables were also inquired. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses for the main outcome "acceptance of routine RV immunisation" and other variables were performed.

Rotavirus vaccines: considerations for successful implementation in Europe.

A group of European experts in infectious diseases and vaccinology has met on several occasions to assess the rationale for universal vaccination against rotavirus infection of infants in Europe. On the basis of the available data, we concluded that vaccination was the best approach to prevent severe rotavirus gastroenteritis, and that European countries should consider implementing rotavirus vaccination in their routine immunisation programmes. The main barrier to the implementation of rotavirus vaccination in Europe is a general lack of awareness of stakeholders, policymakers, health-care professionals, and parents about rotavirus disease and the advantages of vaccination.

Superior relative efficacy of live attenuated influenza vaccine compared with inactivated influenza vaccine in young children with recurrent respiratory tract infections.

Background: Young children have a high incidence of influenza and influenza-related complications. This study compared the efficacy and safety of cold-adapted influenza vaccine, trivalent (CAIV-T) with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) in young children with a history of recurrent respiratory tract infections (RTIs).

Methods: Children 6 to 71 months of age were randomized to receive 2 doses of CAIV-T (n = 1101) or TIV (n = 1086), 35 +/- 7 days apart before the start of the 2002-2003 influenza season and were followed up for culture-confirmed influenza, effectiveness outcomes, reactogenicity, and adverse events.

Early appearance of bactericidal antibodies after polysaccharide challenge of toddlers primed with a group C meningococcal conjugate vaccine: what is its role in the maintenance of protection?

The contribution of memory responses after meningococcal vaccination to protection may depend on the rapidity of the response. Toddlers were challenged with a licensed polysaccharide (PS) vaccine 1 year after vaccination with a single dose of meningococcal group C-CRM(197) conjugate (MCC) vaccine at the age of 12 to 15 months. Bactericidal antibodies and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were measured before challenge and 4, 7, 14, or 21 Days later ("Days" refer to treatment groups, "days" to sampling days).

Seroprevalence of Varicella-Zoster virus IgG antibodies in Swiss children during the first 16 months of age.

Question Under Study: To investigate the persistence of maternal IgG antibodies against Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) in infants and young children.

Methods: Serum specimens of children aged 0-16 months who had been hospitalized in our institution between 1994 and 1999 were identified from our routine serum collection. Exclusion criteria were: preterm delivery (<37 gestational weeks); suspected varicella infection or presence of exanthema of unknown etiology at time of serum collection; transfusion of blood products during 6 months preceding serum collection; foreign born mother; and previous VZV immunization.

How do physicians immunize their own children? Differences among pediatricians and nonpediatricians.

Context: Immunization has an essential impact on public health worldwide. Numerous studies have shown the efficacy of different vaccines to protect individuals from various diseases. However, some parents choose not to vaccinate their children for reasons such as, among others, doubts regarding their usefulness, concerns over safety or efficacy, etc.