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Virology Research Journal
Volume 1 Issue 4
Vaccines World 2017
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Page 42
November 09-10, 2017 Vienna, Austria
21
st
World Congress and Exhibition on
VACCINES, VACCINATION & IMMUNIZATION
Strengtheningmaternal immunization to improve
the health of mothers and infants
Jon Abramson
Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
T
he reduction in mortality of children less than five
years of age has been faster than for maternal mortality.
Additionally, the reduction in post neonatal mortality
has been faster than the decrease in neonatal mortality
resulting in an increase in the percentage of U5 deaths that
currently occur in the neonatal period to ~45%. Maternal
immunization (MI) has the potential to decrease serious
morbidity and mortality not only in the mother, but also
the fetus, neonate and young infant that are not yet able to
immunologically respond to most vaccines. Currently, we are
only beginning to unlock the potential of using vaccines this
way. The tetanus and influenza vaccines are recommended
in pregnancy not only to prevent diseases causing serious
morbidity and mortality in the mother, but also in neonates
and young infants. Recently, the yellow fever vaccine has been
recommended for use in pregnant women in outbreak settings
and a phase 3 trials with a hepatitis E vaccine is currently
ongoing in Bangladesh. Vaccines are also available or under
development that could be given to pregnant women not to
specifically prevent disease in them, but rather in their fetus
or young infant. The acellular pertussis vaccine has recently
been recommended for use in pregnant women in countries
that have documented increasing numbers of deaths in young
infants due to pertussis. Examples of vaccines currently
being specifically developed to give to pregnant women for
protection of their unborn child and/or infant include those
designed to prevent respiratory syncytial virus and group B
streptococcus disease. This lecture will discuss the current
status of the MI program and various implementation issues
that need to be addressed (e.g., vaccine hesitancy in pregnant
women and their families as well as healthcare workers and
government officials).
jabrams@wakehealth.eduVirol Res J 2017, 1:4