During the 2009 UK influenza A H1N1 pandemic, pregnant women who contracted influenza were five times more likely to have perinatal mortality (stillbirths) and three times more likely to have a preterm delivery, than were pregnant women who did not contract the virus.
Health
Immunization during pregnancy reduces the risk of miscarriages, stillbirths, low birthweight, and premature deliveries
Studies from multiple Western countries have found that pregnant women infected with influenza during the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic were at higher risk of miscarriages, stillbirths, low birthweight and premature deliveries. The risk of fetal death was between 2 and 5.5 times higher in pregnant women with influenza than in pregnant women without influenza. In the UK, the rate of stillbirths was 4.5 times higher and the likelihood of preterm delivery was 4 times greater in influenza-infected pregnant women than non-infected women.
Although this article indicated that influenza vaccination is safely used for the mother and the fetus, conflicting data exists on the effect of vaccination in improving preterm birth rates.
Rotavirus vaccination reduces the risk of childhood seizures by 20-34% in the US and Spain
Seizures are the most common non-gastrointestinal symptom associated with rotavirus infection. Studies have found that rotavirus vaccination significantly reduced the risk of childhood seizures during the year following vaccination by approximately 20% for seizures requiring emergency care or hospitalization in the US and by 16-34% for childhood seizures requiring hospitalization in Spain.
Introduction of PCV-10 in Mozambique reduced pneumococcal strains in unvaccinated HIV-infected children by 30%
Two years after the introduction of 10-strain pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-10) in Mozambique, the percent of unvaccinated children under five years of age who carried pneumococcal strains in the vaccine declined 30% among HIV-infected children, while no significant decline in unvaccinated HIV-negative children was seen.
Immunization with PCV10 in Mozambique reduced pneumococcal carriage rates in both HIV-infected and uninfected children
Within two years of the introduction of PCV10 in Mozambique, the percent of vaccinated children under five years of age with nasopharyngeal carriage of vaccine strains, declined equally in HIV-infected as in HIV-uninfected children. The vaccine-type carriage rates among both HIV-infected and uninfected vaccinated children after the vaccine was introduced were similar.
Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage can be a precursor of invasive pneumococcal disease.
Immunization can prevent long-term effects of meningococcal disease, such as hearing loss and psychological problems
A systematic literature review of studies of the long-term effects of invasive meningococcal disease in high-income countries found that children who survived the disease had a greater incidence of hearing loss and psychological problems, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than control groups or the general population. In addition, they had increased odds of death – one study showed more than a 25% greater mortality rate in this population than did the general public up to 30 years after having the disease.
High rates of drug-resistant bacteria found in sickle cell disease patients in Ghana
A study of sickle cell disease patients in Ghana found that pneumoccocus bacteria found in their noses and throats had high rates of drug resistance with 37% of positive samples resistant to penicillin and 34% resistant to multiple drugs (typically penicillin + tetracycline + cotrimoxazole).
Vaccinating pregnant women with Tdap vaccine protects infants from pertussis and provides additional protection in their first year
A large study in California involving nearly 150,000 newborns found that vaccinating pregnant women with the Tdap vaccine provided 91% protection against pertussis infection among infants under 2 months of age and 88% protection before the infants had any vaccinations. The study also showed that vaccinating mothers during their pregnancy did not reduce the effectiveness of infant vaccination but that maternal Tdap vaccination provided additional protection to the infants through their first year of life.
Influenza vaccination during pregnancy reduces severe pneumonia rates in infants, especially during peak influenza circulation
An analysis of data from three studies showed that the rates of severe pneumonia in infants in their first six months of life was 20% lower overall in infants whose mothers received the influenza vaccination during pregnancy than in infants whose mothers had not, and the rates of severe pneumonia was 56% lower during periods when influenza circulation was highest. These findings correspond with evidence that influenza infection predisposes individuals to pneumococcal infection.
The incidence rate of severe pneumonia in the vaccine group compared to the control group was 43% lower in South Africa, 31% lower in Nepal, but not significantly different in Mali.
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.