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Vaccines
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Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunization
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Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunization

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 3757

Editors

Dr. Vana Spoulou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Interests: infectious diseases; vaccines; vaccine-induced immune response; immunological memory
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ioanna Papadatou

E-Mail
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Interests: infectious diseases; vaccines; vaccine-induced immune response; immunological memory

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite the great success of vaccines, infectious diseases continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality in children, especially in the very young and those with comorbidities, primary or secondary immunodeficiency. In recent years, advances in immunology, molecular diagnostics, and vaccine technologies have transformed our understanding of pediatric host–pathogen interactions and have opened new opportunities for disease prevention. At the same time, evolving epidemiology, emerging pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and challenges in vaccine confidence highlight the need for continuous research and updated evidence to guide clinical and public health practice.

This Special Issue of Vaccines, “Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunization”, aims to bring together high-quality original research, systematic reviews, and expert perspectives that advance our knowledge in this rapidly developing field. We welcome submissions addressing the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pediatric infections; vaccine-induced immunity; innovative vaccine platforms, as well as immunization strategies for special pediatric populations.

We invite clinicians, researchers, and public health professionals to contribute their latest findings and insights and we look forward to your valuable contributions.

Dr. Vana Spoulou
Dr. Ioanna Papadatou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vaccines
  • pediatric infectious diseases
  • vaccine immunology
  • pediatric vaccines

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

21 pages, 323 KB  
Review
Vaccination Against Serogroup B Meningococcal Disease: Current Status and Future Perspectives—A Consensus Document of the World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders (WAidid)
by Susanna Esposito, Nigel Curtis, Ulrich Heininger, Markus Knuf, Shamez Ladhani, Helen Marshall, Federico Martinon-Torres, Marco Safadi, Vana Spoulou, Mohamed K. Taha and Nicola Principi
Vaccines 2026, 14(6), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14060502 - 3 Jun 2026
Viewed by 746
Abstract
Background: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) remains a rare but severe condition associated with high mortality and a significant risk of long-term sequelae. Despite global vaccination efforts, the epidemiology of Neisseria meningitidis continues to evolve, with serogroup B (MenB) representing the predominant cause of [...] Read more.
Background: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) remains a rare but severe condition associated with high mortality and a significant risk of long-term sequelae. Despite global vaccination efforts, the epidemiology of Neisseria meningitidis continues to evolve, with serogroup B (MenB) representing the predominant cause of IMD in many high-income countries. Methods: This consensus document reviews current evidence on MenB epidemiology and the role of the multicomponent meningococcal serogroup B vaccine (4CMenB), with a focus on immunogenicity, strain coverage, real-world effectiveness, and remaining challenges. Results: Protein-based MenB vaccines have overcome the limitations of polysaccharide approaches, demonstrating robust immunogenicity across age groups. Real-world data confirm substantial vaccine effectiveness, particularly in infant immunization programs and outbreak settings, with significant reductions in disease incidence. For example, in England in the 3 years after vaccine introduction, MenB IMD incidence declined by 75% in immunized infants compared to unvaccinated controls. Adjusted vaccine efficacy was 52.7% after the two-dose primary series and 59.1% following the booster dose, highlighting the contribution of the booster. However, protection is influenced by antigenic variability among circulating strains, resulting in incomplete and geographically variable coverage. In addition, antibody waning over time and the limited impact on nasopharyngeal carriage reduce the potential for long-term and indirect protection. These factors highlight the need to optimize vaccination strategies, including the timing of booster doses, particularly in adolescents, and the role of vaccination in different epidemiological contexts. In this regard, it is not precisely defined whether infants who were immunized in the first year of life need a booster dose in the preschool period, especially in countries with a high incidence of MenB disease. Moreover, it is not established whether and when adolescents who were vaccinated both in infancy and during the preschool period need a booster dose. Economic considerations and variability in national immunization policies further contribute to heterogeneity in vaccine implementation. Emerging evidence suggests possible cross-protection against other meningococcal serogroups and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, although findings remain inconsistent across different risk groups and do not allow us to recommend 4CMenB vaccine beyond MenB IBD prevention. Conclusions: 4CMenB is an effective tool for preventing MenB IMD, although further studies are needed. Future strategies should prioritize age-targeted boosting and enhanced genomic surveillance to maximize impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunization)
16 pages, 315 KB  
Review
Prevention of Respiratory Infections in Children with Congenital Heart Disease: Current Evidence and Clinical Strategies
by Susanna Esposito, Camilla Aurelio, Marina Cifaldi, Angela Lazzara, Federico Viafora and Nicola Principi
Vaccines 2026, 14(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14010011 - 22 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2449
Abstract
Background: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at substantially increased risk for respiratory infections, which occur more frequently and with greater severity than in healthy peers. This heightened vulnerability stems from multifactorial immune impairment, including defects in innate and adaptive immunity, chronic [...] Read more.
Background: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at substantially increased risk for respiratory infections, which occur more frequently and with greater severity than in healthy peers. This heightened vulnerability stems from multifactorial immune impairment, including defects in innate and adaptive immunity, chronic inflammation related to abnormal hemodynamics and hypoxia, reduced thymic function, and genetic syndromes affecting both cardiac and immune development. Viral pathogens—particularly respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza viruses, and SARS-CoV-2—account for most infections, although bacterial pathogens remain relevant, especially in postoperative settings. Methods: This narrative review summarizes current evidence on infection susceptibility in children with CHD, the epidemiology and clinical relevance of major respiratory pathogens, and the effectiveness of available preventive measures. Literature evaluating immunological mechanisms, infection burden, vaccine effectiveness, and passive immunization strategies was examined, along with existing national and international immunization guidelines. Results: Children with CHD consistently exhibit higher rates of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality following respiratory infections. RSV, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 infections are particularly severe in this population, while bacterial infections, though less common, contribute substantially to postoperative morbidity. Preventive options—including routine childhood vaccines, pneumococcal and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines, influenza vaccines, COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, and RSV monoclonal antibodies—demonstrate strong protective effects. New long-acting RSV monoclonal antibodies and maternal vaccination markedly enhance prevention in early infancy. However, vaccine coverage remains insufficient due to parental hesitancy, provider uncertainty, delayed immunization, and limited CHD-specific evidence. Conclusions: Respiratory infections pose a significant and preventable health burden in children with CHD. Enhancing the use of both active and passive immunization is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. Strengthening evidence-based guidelines, improving coordination between specialists and primary care providers, integrating immunization checks into routine CHD management, and providing clear, condition-specific counseling to families can substantially improve vaccine uptake and clinical outcomes in this vulnerable population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunization)
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