What is the Knowledge Hub?
Explore the VoICE Knowledge Hub—a searchable database featuring the latest peer-reviewed research on immunization benefits, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Browse the Knowledge Hub using a variety of different filters to find vaccine evidence based on country, region, topic, or disease. Click on a tag to find more evidence on a specific area, such as the return on investment of vaccines or impacts of infectious disease outbreaks.
Search
Diseases & Vaccines
Country
WHO Regions
Topics
Immunization Terms
Immunization reduces the risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, but those on immunosuppressants still have higher chances
Even though the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease declined in all groups, including individuals on immunosuppressive drugs, following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for infants in Norway, people on chemotherapy were still 20 times more likely to get IPD than individuals not on any immunosuppressants, while individuals on long-term corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs were around 6 times more likely to get the disease.
Steens A, Winje BA, White RA et al.. 2019. Indirect effects of pneumococcal childhood vaccination in individuals treated with immunosuppressive drugs in ambulatory care: a case-cohort study. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 68(8).
Childhood vaccination with PCVs reduces the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease and benefits the whole population
A large study in Norway found that the overall incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) declined significantly in individuals on immunosuppressive drugs following the introduction of PCVs for infants — and most significantly in people undergoing chemotherapy. These findings underscore the benefits that childhood vaccination with PCVs affords the entire population.
Steens A, Winje BA, White RA et al.. 2019. Indirect effects of pneumococcal childhood vaccination in individuals treated with immunosuppressive drugs in ambulatory care: a case-cohort study. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 68(8).
Cancer treatments can increase the risk of vaccine-preventable infections for children
Among children and young adults being treated for certain cancers, immunosuppressive therapies can erase immunity previously acquired through vaccination, dramatically increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable infections. The authors assert that vaccination during and after immunosuppressive treatment is necessary to rebuild immunity and protect the most at-risk children.
Ward, E. M., Flowers, C.R., Gansler, T., et al.. 2017. The importance of immunization in cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 67(5).
Herd effects from immunization can protect children undergoing cancer treatments from infections
Children with cancer often rely on herd immunity as protection from vaccine-preventable diseases, so vaccinating family members and health workers is critical. Herd effects may be the only source of protection against diseases for which the vaccines are not recommended for immunosuppressed children, such as measles.
Ward, E. M., Flowers, C.R., Gansler, T., et al.. 2017. The importance of immunization in cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 67(5).
Cancer survivors experience much higher complications from vaccine-preventable infections
In survivors of pediatric and young adult cancers in the US, the risk of mortality from infectious complications is 4 times higher than in their cancer-naïve siblings. Within the first five years after cancer diagnosis, the risk of some vaccine-preventable infections such as pneumonia and hepatitis is more than 9-fold and 6-fold higher, respectively. More than 5 years after cancer diagnosis, the risk of these two infections remains high at 3.7 and 2.5 times higher than siblings.
Perkins, J.L., Chen, Y., Harris, A., et al.. 2014. Infections among long‐term survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Cancer. 120(16).
Higher vaccine coverage for some vaccines was associated with a lower risk of developing a specific type of leukemia
A study including thousands of children from the U.S. state of Texas found that children born in counties with high coverage of HepB, Polio, and Hib vaccines were 33%, 37%, and 42% less likely to develop a specific type of leukemia than children born in counties with lower coverage of each vaccine.
Pagaoa, M. A., Okcu, M. F., Bondy, M. L., et al.. 2011. Associations between vaccination and childhood cancers in Texas regions. The Journal of Pediatrics. 158(6).
Cancer patients are at greater risk of vaccine-preventable infections
A study in the US found that the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease was 22 to 38 times higher in adults with cancer than in healthy adults.
Kyaw, M.H., Rose, C.E., Fry, A.M., et al. 2005. The Influence of Chronic Illnesses on the Incidence of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Adults. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 192(3).