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A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology and Vaccination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 4290

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Dr. Tianfeng He

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Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo, China
Interests: prevention and control of vaccine-preventable diseases; epidemiology; data analysis and modeling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to explore the essential role of vaccination in interrupting the spread of infectious diseases and in preventing and controlling disease outbreaks. The research scope will encompass key areas, including the assessment of vaccine effectiveness and the durability of immunity, increasing high vaccination rates, evaluating the impact of herd immunity and epidemiological surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Tianfeng He
Guest Editor

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
vaccination/preventive vaccination
disease outbreaks
epidemiological surveillance
infectious disease prevention and control

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4156 KB

Open AccessArticle

Implementation of a Large-Scale Ebola Vaccination Campaign in Rwanda

by Rosine Ingabire, Julien Nyombayire, Felix Sayinzoga, Jean Baptiste Mazarati, Amelia Mazzei, Karel Van Roey, Moses Kasigazi, Placide Nshizirungu, Oreste Tuganeyezu, Sabin Nsanzimana, Chantal Sifa, Japhet Niyonzima, Edouard Mirimo, Paula Mc Kenna, Rachel Parker, Amanda Tichacek, Jozef Noben, Kristin M. Wall, Susan Allen and Etienne Karita

Vaccines 2026, 14(7), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14070588 - 1 Jul 2026

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Abstract

Background/Objectives: Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) remains a public health threat in sub-Saharan Africa. The 10th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2018–2020 led the Rwanda Ministry of Health to launch a large-scale Ebola vaccination campaign using the two-dose Ad26.ZEBOV and MVA-BN-Filo regimen. The campaign was implemented by local organizations, the Center for Family Health Research and Rinda Ubuzima, in partnership with the Rwanda Biomedical Center. Methods: The campaign targeted those who live near or routinely cross the Rwanda/DRC border and unvaccinated first responders. Children <2 years and pregnant women were excluded. Results: Between December 2019 and September 2021, 219,775 individuals attended vaccination sites and 216,108 received the first dose. Of those, 110,699 (51.2%) were adults (≥18 years) and 105,409 (48.8%) were children aged 2–17 years. A total of 118,048 (54.6%) were women and 98,060 (45.4%) were men. Of all first-dose clients, 203,303 (94.1%) received the second dose. Participants who were older, male, in Rubavu district, and urban were more likely (p < 0.05) to be lost between the first and second dose. Most individuals who were ineligible for the second dose were women who fell pregnant after the first dose. Conclusions: Findings highlight that a large-scale vaccination campaign, including remote areas, is feasible with high adherence despite the concurrent COVID-19 pandemic. Early stakeholder engagement and local leadership were critical to success. Future studies of reasons for non-adherence, as well as strategies to integrate family planning into campaign activities to reduce ineligibility due to pregnancy, are warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventing Outbreak Through Vaccination)

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15 pages, 2794 KB

Open AccessArticle

Adult Seroprotection Gaps Against Diphtheria and Tetanus in Urban China: Repeated Cross-Sectional Serosurveillance in Pudong, Shanghai, 2017–2025

by Wanran Cheng, Juan Li, Tian Yang, Yu Bai, Pengfei Deng, Laibao Yang and Yihan Lu

Vaccines 2026, 14(7), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14070570 - 29 Jun 2026

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Abstract

Background: Adult susceptibility to diphtheria and tetanus may increase as vaccine-induced immunity wanes, yet repeated population-based serosurveillance data in China are limited. Methods: We analyzed annual serosurveys conducted in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China, from 2017 to 2025 among healthy adults aged 20–49 years. Diphtheria and tetanus IgG concentrations were measured by ELISA. Seroprotection was defined as antibody concentration ≥0.1 IU/mL. Antibody concentrations were further categorized as <0.01, 0.01–<0.1, 0.1–<1.0, and ≥1.0 IU/mL, and geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to assess factors associated with non-protection, including survey year, age group, and household registration. Sensitivity analyses excluding the 2018 survey year were conducted. Results: A total of 2376 serum samples were included. Overall seroprotection was 21.46% for diphtheria and 13.80% for tetanus. The proportion protected against both antigens was 9.05%, while 73.78% showed concurrent non-protection against both antigens. The overall GMC was 0.032 IU/mL (95% CI: 0.030–0.034) for diphtheria and 0.018 IU/mL (95% CI: 0.017–0.019) for tetanus. Concentrations ≥1.0 IU/mL were uncommon for both antigens. Adults aged 40–49 years had higher odds of non-protection than those aged 20–29 years for diphtheria (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.85–3.21) and tetanus (OR: 2.94, 95% CI: 2.11–4.13). Non-local residents also had higher odds of non-protection than local residents for diphtheria (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.24–1.93) and tetanus (OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 2.15–3.69). Seroprotection varied across survey years, with a marked nadir in 2018. Sensitivity analyses excluding 2018 attenuated most year-specific associations, whereas age- and residence-related differences persisted. Conclusions: Healthy adults aged 20–49 years in Pudong showed low seroprotection and low GMCs against both diphtheria and tetanus, with a high proportion concurrently non-protected against both antigens. These findings highlight a persistent adult immunity gap and support further evaluation of adult booster strategies and enhanced serosurveillance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventing Outbreak Through Vaccination)

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12 pages, 951 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccine in Wuhan, China During the 2024–2025 Season: A Test-Negative Case–Control Study

by Pei Zhang, Xiaokun Yang and Banghua Chen

Vaccines 2026, 14(3), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14030243 - 6 Mar 2026

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Abstract

Background: Vaccine Effectiveness (VE) provides an important indicator of vaccine performance under real-world conditions. However, evidence regarding influenza VE in Wuhan remains limited. This study applied a test-negative case–control design to estimate the effectiveness of influenza vaccination during the 2024–2025 influenza season in Wuhan. Methods: A test-negative case–control design was conducted among patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI) at outpatient and emergency departments of 41 healthcare institutions in Wuhan. All participants underwent influenza virus real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing and were categorized as cases (RT-PCR positive) or controls (RT-PCR negative) based on laboratory results. Results: The analysis included 23,302 RT-PCR-confirmed influenza cases and 99,424 test-negative controls. The overall adjusted VE was 35% (95% CI: 30–40%). VE differed across age group, with higher estimates observed among adults aged 19–59 years (63%; 95% CI: 50–73%) and 60–69 years (60.7%; 95% CI: 46–72%), whereas lower effectiveness was observed among children aged 0.5–5 years (25%; 95% CI: 17–33%) and 6–18 years (25%; 95% CI: 14–36%). Similar protection was observed among individuals vaccinated in both the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 seasons (42%; 95% CI: 28–54%) and those vaccinated in the 2024–2025 season only (40%; 95% CI: 36–45%), whereas VE was lower among individuals vaccinated only during the previous season (20%; 95% CI: 14–26%). VE also varied by vaccination timing, with the highest effectiveness observed among individuals vaccinated in November 2024 (46.1%; 95% CI: 36.4–54.6%). Conclusions: Influenza vaccination provided measurable protection during the 2024–2025 season in Wuhan. Greater protection was observed among individuals vaccinated in consecutive seasons or during the current season compared with those vaccinated only in the prior season. Vaccination administered in November was associated with the highest effectiveness, highlighting the importance of appropriate vaccination timing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventing Outbreak Through Vaccination)

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11 pages, 857 KB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Associated with the Anamnestic Immune Response Following Hepatitis B Booster Vaccination in the Elderly

by Chen Wang, Yan Zou, Xiaofei Wang and Na Liu

Vaccines 2026, 14(2), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14020111 - 23 Jan 2026

Viewed by 1275

Abstract

Objective: To investigate factors influencing the anamnestic immune response 9 years after hepatitis B vaccination in elderly people (aged > 60 years). Methods: We quantitatively tested 630 elderly people who participated in the free hepatitis B vaccination program for adults in Zhangjiagang City during 2015 for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) titers. Three booster doses of hepatitis B vaccine were given to subjects with anti-HBs titers below 10 mIU/mL, while a single booster dose was administered to those with titers between 10 and 100 mIU/mL, in accordance with their antibody titer measurements. The post-booster anti-HBs titers were evaluated at 2–3 months. A logistic regression model was used to identify factors influencing the anamnestic immune response, and a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted. Results: Among the 90 participants who received three doses and the 101 participants who received one dose, baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between the two cohorts. Both groups exhibited robust anamnestic immune responses. Significant differences were observed before and after booster vaccination within each group (Z = −8.24, p < 0.001; Z = −8.73, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression indicated that individuals with higher pre-booster anti-HBs titers were less likely to show weak anamnestic responses compared to those with lower pre-booster titers (OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.16–0.58). Furthermore, a high anamnestic immune response (>1000 mIU/mL) was significantly more frequent among subjects with pre-booster titers ≥ 4.58 mIU/mL. Conclusions: Booster immunization administered nine years after hepatitis B vaccination induces robust anamnestic immunity, with its magnitude significantly correlated with pre-booster anti-HBs titers. Particular attention should be given to individuals with extremely low pre-booster anti-HBs levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventing Outbreak Through Vaccination)

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