Calendario Vacunal de la Asociación Española de Pediatría 2001–2002

[Vaccination schedule of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics: recommendations 2007]

The Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics provides information on the new developments in vaccines that have taken place in 2006 and recommends certain modifications to the Immunization Schedule for 2007. To ensure early protection, the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine booster dose should be administered when children start school (3-4 years). Based on existing scientific evidence, the importance of universal heptavalent conjugate pneumococcal vaccination, as occurs in most similar European countries and in the autonomous community of Madrid in Spain, is confirmed. The safety and efficacy of rotavirus and human papilloma virus vaccines, as well as their use in our environment, is discussed and the role of pediatricians in their implementation is stressed. The recommended immunization schedule for children and adolescents starting vaccination late is also discussed.

Calendario de vacunación de la Asociación Española de Pediatría: recomendaciones 2006

Based on the evidence available, the Vaccines Advisory Committee (VAC) of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics reports and comments on the new developments in vaccines that have taken place in 2005 and recommends some modifications to the vaccination schedule for 2006. In agreement with changes in the product monographs for the meningococcal C vaccine, the VAC recommends two doses for the three commercially available preparations with a booster dose in the second year of life. The European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) has temporarily suspended the sale of the Hexavac vaccine due to doubts about its long-term protection against hepatitis B. The VAC continues to support the use of these combined vaccines. Currently only Infranrix Hexa is available in Spain. The recommendation of vaccinating adolescents with a booster dose of pertussis vaccine via the administration of an acellular preparation of low antigenic load together with the adult diphtheria and tetanus vaccine remains valid. Vaccination against chickenpox in susceptible children aged more than 12 months old continues to be recommended. There is wide coverage for the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in many areas of Spain. In view of the studies published, the VAC reiterates the need for universal immunization by introducing this vaccine in the official vaccination schedule. Finally, other vaccines not included in this schedule are discussed, with special mention of the advisability of influenza vaccination in children, according to the recommendations of the VAC available at the beginning of each season on the web site of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics www.aeped.es; www. vacunasaep.org.

Calendario vacunal de la Asociación Española de Pediatría: recomendaciones 2005

The Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics provides information and comments on the new developments in vaccines that have taken place in 2004 and recommends a few modifications to the Immunization Schedule for 2005. Concerning the meningococcal C vaccine, no change is made to the possibility of administering two doses for the first vaccination with one of the available formulations. The existence of immunization failure in children who have received a first vaccination with three vaccine doses before the age of 12 months is discussed, and the health authorities will probably include a booster dose in the second year of life throughout 2005. The recommendations of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) on hexavalent vaccines continue to be valid and consequently the use of these vaccines should not be stopped. This year the need for adolescents to receive a booster dose of the pertussis vaccine, with administration of an acellular, low antigenic load preparation together with the adult diphtheria and tetanus vaccine is stressed.

Calendario vacunal de la Asociación Española de Pediatría: recomendaciones 2004

The Vaccine Assessment Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics discusses vaccine developments in 2003 and recommends some modifications to the vaccination schedule. The recommendation of substituting the oral polio vaccine for the inactivated polio vaccine, suppressing the fifth dose, is maintained. The introduction of the conjugate pneumococcal vaccine and the varicella vaccine is stressed. Concerning the meningococcal C vaccine, the improvement introduced by being able to immunize with just two doses is discussed. In agreement with the information received from the European Medicines Agency, there appear to be no well-founded reasons to abandon hexavalent preparations.

Comparison of the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of a combined diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated polio (DTPa-HBV-IPV) vaccine, mixed with the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine and administered as a single injection, with the DTPa-IPV/Hib and hepatitis B vaccines administered in two simultaneous injections to infants at 2, 4 and 6 months of age

An open, randomised, multicentre trial was performed to compare the reactogenicity and safety profile of the administration of a hexavalent diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-hepatitis B-inactivated polio (DTPa-HBV-IPV) vaccine administered in one injection mixed with Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine (Group 1) with that of a pentavalent DTPa-IPV vaccine mixed with a Hib vaccine (DTPa-IPV/Hib), simultaneously administered with HBV (Group 2) in two injections in opposite thighs, as a primary vaccination course, to healthy infants at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. A total of 235 completed the study, 120 from Group 1 and 115 from Group 2. Blood samples (pre-vaccination and 1 month after the third dose) were obtained from a subset of infants (Group 1: 40; Group 2: 31) to assess the immune response to vaccination. Local and general solicited symptoms were recorded by parents on diary cards. Seven hundred and five diary cards (Group 1: 360; Group 2: 345) were collected. The clinically relevant and most commonly reported local reaction was pain (infant cried when the limb was moved) in 2.5% (Group 1) and 1.2% (Group 2) of diary cards. Fever was more frequently reported in Group 1 (21% of diary cards) than in Group 2 (12% of diary cards). However only 3 and 2% of doses in Groups 1 and 2, respectively, were responsible for a rectal temperature between 38.6 and 39.5 degrees C and only one case (Group 2) had > or =39.5 degrees C. Other clinically relevant general symptoms were rarely recorded: irritability (2-2.8%), loss of appetite (0.3-0.6%) and drowsiness (0.3-0.3%). All subjects included in the immunogenicity analysis had seroprotective titres to diphtheria, tetanus, polio virus types 1 and 3, Hib. Almost all subjects were seroprotected for anti-polio type 2 and hepatitis B (with the exception of 1 subject in Group 1 for each antigen). The vaccines response rates to pertussis antigens were over 97 and 90% in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. This study shows that, from a clinical perspective, the DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib vaccine given in a single injection has a similar reactogenicity and safety profile to that of two licensed vaccines (DTPa-IPV/Hib, HBV) given in two simultaneous injections to infants at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. This is a valuable advantage, since in some countries, such as Spain and the UK, an additional injection (for the administration of meningococcal C conjugate vaccine) has been recently included in the infants' vaccination calendars.

Comparative trial to assess the reactogenicity of the diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTPa) vaccine plus Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) conjugate vaccine and that of the diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis (DTPw) vaccine plus Hib conjugate vaccine, administered in single injection a

BACKGROUND

The diphtheria-tetanus-whole-cell pertussis (DTPw) vaccine is being replaced in Western countries,and in several Spanish Autonomous Communities, by the diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTPa) vaccine. Although the administration of booster doses of DTPw or DTPa and Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate (Hib) vaccines to toddlers is a current practice ina number of countries, there are few data comparing the reactogenicity profiles of their administration as a single injection.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD

An open,prospective, randomised, multicentre trial was conducted to compare the reactogenicity profile of a single injection of DTPa and Hib vaccines (DTPa/Hib) with that of a single injection of DTPw and Hib vaccines (DTPw/Hib) as booster doses to toddlers--previously primed with DTPw and Hib vaccines. 200 children (15.1 +/-1.0 months-old) were randomised to receive DTPa/Hib (group 1;n = 101) or DTPw/Hib (group 2; n = 99) and followed up to 30 days post-vaccination. All subjects received the oral polio vaccine concomitantly. Local and general symptoms were recorded by parents on diary cards.

RESULTS

Incidences of any local reaction and any general symptom <<probably related>>/<<suspected>>to vaccination were reported more frequently in group 2 than in group 1 (p < 0.0001). Pain at the injection site was reported by 29% and 66% of subjects in groups 1 and 2, respectively (p< 0.0001). Pain such that the child cried when limb was moved was also more frequently recorded in group 2 (15%) than in group 1 (1%) (p < 0.0001). Differences in prevalence of any swelling(16% in group 1, 30% in group 2) and swelling > 20 mm reached statistical significance (p (3/4) 0.012). Fever (rectal temperature>= 38 degrees C) was reported by 17% and 41 % in groups 1 and 2 subjects, respectively (p < 0.0001). Fussiness, loss of appetite and restlessness were also more frequently reported in DTPw/Hib subjects and reached statistical significance (at least p = 0.015).Analgesics/antipyretics were prescribed as a prophylactic treatment in only 14% of cases (9 and 19 subjects in groups 1 and 2, respectively;p = 0.0424). Antipyretic treatment after vaccination was significantly more prescribed in group 2 (27 cases) than in group 1 (8) (p <0.015).

CONCLUSION

The administration of DTPa/Hib as a single injection leads to a better reactogenicity profile than the administration of DTPw/Hib, also as a single injection, as booster doses to toddlers primed with DTPw and Hib vaccines.