Rotarix® and RotaTeq® administration to preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: Review of available evidence

Rotavirus Vaccination of Premature Newborns in the NICU: Evaluation of Vaccination Rates and Safety Based on a Single-Centre Study

Preterm newborns are babies born before the end of the 36th week of gestational life. They are at increased risk of infection and death from infectious diseases. This is due, among other things, to the immaturity of the immune system and the long hospitalisation period. One common infectious disease in the paediatric population is rotavirus (RV) infection. We now have specific vaccines against this pathogen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of rotavirus vaccination in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting and to determine the tolerance of this vaccine in low- and extremely low-weight children. The study carried out at a single centre, the University Hospital in Kraków, also allowed the assessment of vaccination trends during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. During the observation period, 126 premature newborns received the RV vaccine. We observed no adverse effects, and our analysis shows safety and good tolerance of the vaccine among preterm babies. In addition, we observed an increase in vaccination rates between 2019 and 2021, partly explained by parents' anxiety about infectious diseases in the era of pandemics and partly explained by a change in vaccination policy in Poland and the introduction of refunding for RV vaccination.

Established and new rotavirus vaccines: a comprehensive review for healthcare professionals

Robust scientific evidence related to two rotavirus (RV) vaccines available worldwide demonstrates their significant impact on RV disease burden. Improving RV vaccination coverage may result in better RV disease control. To make RV vaccination accessible to all eligible children worldwide and improve vaccine effectiveness in high-mortality settings, research into new RV vaccines continues. Although current and in-development RV vaccines differ in vaccine design, their common goal is the reduction of RV disease risk in children <5 years old for whom disease burden is the most significant. Given the range of RV vaccines available, informed decision-making is essential regarding the choice of vaccine for immunization. This review aims to describe the landscape of current and new RV vaccines, providing context for the assessment of their similarities and differences. As data for new vaccines are limited, future investigations will be required to evaluate their performance/added value in a real-world setting.

Vaccination in preterm and low birth weight infants in India

In India, the high neonatal and infant mortality rate is due in part to an increasing number of preterm and low birth weight (LBW) infants. Given the immaturity of immune system, these infants are at an increased risk of hospitalization and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). In this narrative review, we screened the scientific literature for data on the risk of VPDs, vaccination delay and factors related to it in Indian preterm and LBW infants. Although routine childhood vaccinations are recommended regardless of gestational age or birth weight, vaccination is often delayed. It exposes these infants to a higher risk of infections, their associated complications, and death. After-birth complications, lack of awareness of recommendations, vaccine efficacy and effectiveness and concerns related to safety are some of the common barriers to vaccination. Awareness campaigns might help substantiate the need for (and value of) vaccination in preterm and LBW infants.

What is the context?

In India, the high neonatal mortality rate is due in part to an increasing number of pretern and low birth weight intants.

Affected infants have a poorly developed inmune system and are more susceptible to contracting vaccine-preventable diseases.

The Indian Academy of Pediatrics recommends vaccination according to the same schedule used for full term infants, following chronological (not gestational) age.

Delays in vaccinations increase the risk of preventable infections.

What is new?

Our review of the scientific literature shows that, in India:

infections have more serious conseuences in preterm and low birth weight infants

delays to vaccinate affected infants are common, mostly due to safety and effectiveness concerns from parents and healthcare pracitionrs.

What is the impact?

Improving mternal nutritional status and immunization, and perinatal care could help reduce the number of preterm and low birth weight infants.

Combining maternal immunization with vaccination of affected infants can confer safe and effective protection.

Awareness campaigns for parents and healthcare practitioners could address the issue of vaccination delay in pretern and low birth weight infants in India.

Vaccinations in Infants Born Preterm: An Update

Infants born prematurely (before completion of 37 weeks of gestation) are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to vaccine preventable diseases, mostly because of their immunological immaturity and failure of transfer of maternal protective antibodies. Despite their great need of being vaccinated, concerns on vaccine safety and efficacy, constitute the main reasons for which vaccinations are often delayed in this group. In this review we summarize the latest evidence on vaccine safety, efficacy and immunogenicity in preterm infants which is similar to full-term infants. Therefore there is no reason for delaying vaccination in this population.