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Vaccines
Special Issues
Childhood Immunization and Public Health
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Childhood Immunization and Public Health

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2025) | Viewed by 4426

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Carsten Krüger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Health, Department of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
Interests: consultant pediatrician; neonatologist; pediatric gastroenterologist; global vaccination coverage; vaccine hesitancy; vaccine equity; mandatory vs. voluntary vaccination policies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vaccination programs have been incredibly successful in improving child survival and health globally over the past few decades. However, due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, vaccination coverage has significantly decreased, and the recovery process has been slow. Each year, around 20 million infants do not receive complete protection against vaccine-preventable infections, with many falling into the group that has not received any vaccines.

We invite you to contribute your research to help advance our understanding of global public child health. Your contributions should focus on factors that either facilitate or hinder vaccine uptake in different settings and strategies to address obstacles such as vaccine hesitancy and inequity. This Special Issue aims to take a multidisciplinary approach to generate new ideas for improving childhood immunization coverage, benefiting individual and public health.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and commentaries for this Special Issue. Research areas include laboratory and clinical vaccine research, utilization, and immunization research.  We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Carsten Krüger
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-blind 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

  • compulsory/mandatory vaccination
  • coverage
  • local vaccination culture
  • pandemics
  • trust
  • vaccination frameworks
  • vaccine equity
  • vaccine hesitancy
  • zero-dose

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 379 KB  
Article
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Universal Rotavirus Vaccination Schedules in Syria
by Mania Mershed, Razan Altarabishi, Rasha Mohamed, Lamia Abu ajaj, Dima Alrashee, Manar Kamel and Salah Al Awaidy
Vaccines 2025, 13(11), 1157; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13111157 - 12 Nov 2025
Viewed by 574
Abstract
Background: Rotavirus (RV) continues to be the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) globally among children under five. National RV vaccination efforts have lowered morbidity and mortality. Vaccination is a key public health tool to alleviate this substantial burden of RV in middle- [...] Read more.
Background: Rotavirus (RV) continues to be the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) globally among children under five. National RV vaccination efforts have lowered morbidity and mortality. Vaccination is a key public health tool to alleviate this substantial burden of RV in middle- and low-income countries. In Syria, RV morbidity accounts for 27% of severe GE. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of introducing rotavirus vaccinations (RVV) into Syria’s National Immunization Program. Methods: A decision tree model was developed to assess the cost-saving of two-dose rotavirus vaccinations (Rotarix®) compared to no vaccination. A birth cohort of 573,944 newborns was simulated throughout a 5-year time frame to capture the near-term health and economic effects. The analysis adopted an incremental cost-saving approach, evaluating a hypothetical 2023 birth cohort from the government’s perspective. Outcomes included the cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) prevented and the cost per death averted. Model inputs were derived from local data, specifically including healthcare and vaccination costs and deaths attributable to RVGE, the scientific literature, and national/international databases. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) measures the cost of avoiding one disability-adjusted life year (DALY) adopted. Results: Over five years, the two-dose RV strategy would avert 77,500 RVGE cases, reduce outpatient visits by 59%, and reduce severe RV hospitalizations by 41%. The vaccination program would cost $21,817,918 USD and avert $3,239,907 USD in healthcare costs, resulting in a net cost of $18,578,011 USD. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was $2098 USD per DALY averted, which is below three times Syria’s GDP per capita ($753.6 USD), indicating high cost-effectiveness according to WHO benchmarks. Conclusions: Introducing rotavirus vaccination is highly cost-saving and will result in a substantial reduction in healthcare burdens and lives lost. Policy planners must ensure its inclusion in the National Immunization Programs, ensuring sustainable financing and equitable access. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Childhood Immunization and Public Health)
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Review

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19 pages, 283 KB  
Review
Immunization Strategies in Pediatric Patients Receiving Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) Therapy: Challenges and Insights from a Narrative Review
by Daniele Zama, Laura Pedretti, Gaia Capoferri, Roberta Forestiero, Marcello Lanari and Susanna Esposito
Vaccines 2025, 13(9), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13090932 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1853
Abstract
Background: Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy have markedly improved survival in pediatric patients with hematological malignancies. However, these treatments cause profound immunosuppression, leading to significant susceptibility to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), including invasive pneumococcal disease and measles. Timely [...] Read more.
Background: Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy have markedly improved survival in pediatric patients with hematological malignancies. However, these treatments cause profound immunosuppression, leading to significant susceptibility to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), including invasive pneumococcal disease and measles. Timely and tailored immunization strategies are crucial to mitigate infectious risks in this vulnerable population. Methods: We conducted a narrative review of the English-language literature from 2000 to 2024, including clinical guidelines, surveys, and original studies, to evaluate immune reconstitution and vaccination practices in pediatric patients undergoing HCT and CAR-T therapy. Literature searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science used disease-specific, therapy-specific, and pathogen-specific terms. Data synthesis focused on vaccine schedules, immune recovery markers, and adherence challenges. Results: Profound immune deficits post-HCT and CAR-T therapy compromise both innate and adaptive immunity, often necessitating revaccination. Key factors influencing vaccine responses include time since therapy, graft source, immunosuppressive treatments, and chronic graft-versus-host disease. Although inactivated vaccines are generally safe from three to six months post-HCT, live vaccines remain contraindicated until documented immune recovery. CAR-T therapy introduces unique challenges due to prolonged B-cell aplasia and hypogammaglobulinemia, leading to delayed or reduced vaccine responses. Despite established guidelines, real-world adherence to vaccination schedules remains suboptimal, driven by institutional, logistic, and patient-related barriers. Conclusions: Effective vaccination strategies are essential for reducing infectious morbidity in pediatric HCT and CAR-T recipients. Personalized vaccine schedules, immune monitoring, and multidisciplinary coordination are critical to bridging gaps between guidelines and practice, ultimately improving long-term outcomes for immunocompromised children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Childhood Immunization and Public Health)
18 pages, 6632 KB  
Review
Vaccine Research Trends in Africa from 2016 to Mid-2024: A Bibliometric Analysis
by Chinwe Iwu-Jaja, Duduzile Ndwandwe, Thobile Malinga, Lindi Mathebula, Akhona Mazingisa and Charles Shey Wiysonge
Vaccines 2025, 13(5), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13050509 - 12 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1368
Abstract
Background: Vaccine research publications play a crucial role in the scientific process by strategically linking the generation of knowledge with its translation into vaccine policy and practice. This study was designed to understand vaccine and immunization research publication trends in Africa to inform [...] Read more.
Background: Vaccine research publications play a crucial role in the scientific process by strategically linking the generation of knowledge with its translation into vaccine policy and practice. This study was designed to understand vaccine and immunization research publication trends in Africa to inform strategic directions for vaccine research and innovation efforts in the continent. Methods: We searched PubMed only for vaccine and immunization-related publications from Africa between 1 January 2016 and 8 August 2024. Metrics such as annual growth rates, geographical distribution, international collaboration, and trend topics were analyzed. We conducted separate analyses for general vaccine research, vaccine clinical trials, and vaccine evidence syntheses (systematic reviews and meta-analyses). Results: Vaccine research in Africa demonstrated an annual growth rate of 55.4% (based on the 10,000 records retrieved due to PubMed’s export limit), while vaccine trials saw a decline of 6.08% during the study period. The trend topics analysis across vaccine research, trials, and reviews showed that topics shifted from a focus on general vaccine development, immunization, and malaria pre-2020 to COVID-19-related topics in 2020, with post-2020 research returning to traditional topics like immunization schedules, vaccine safety, and pediatric and maternal vaccines. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on vaccine research, leading to a surge in publications for vaccine research, trials, and reviews. About 65.8% of vaccine research featured international co-authorship. Vaccine trials had a higher rate of international co-authorship at 79.8%. Conclusion: While vaccine research in general in Africa has increased, vaccine trials do not match this increase. The number of clinical trials remained relatively stagnant, reflecting ongoing challenges in the vaccine research ecosystem, particularly in building and sustaining clinical trial capacity across the region. In addition, disparities in research productivity exist between countries. Research prioritization, strategic collaborations, capacity building for research, and improved research infrastructure require critical consideration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Childhood Immunization and Public Health)
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