Safety and immunogenicity of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in preterm infants

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) in the routine immunization program has resulted in a significant decline in invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) around the world. Preterm infants are a special group at a high risk of invasive infection by encapsulated bacteria. However, their slow growth accrual and prolonged hospital stay frequently lead to delays in immunization, which contributes to their risk for severe infections.

Areas covered: Authors reviewed the published immunogenicity and safety of the use of PCVs in preterm infants.

Expert opinion: PCVs are safe and effective for use in low birth weight and in-hospital preterm infants. Local and systemic reactions are similar for both term and preterm populations. Reports were inconsistent on the risk of apnea, therefore hospitalized extremely premature infants should be kept under observation for at least 48 h after immunization.

KEYWORDS:

• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)
• preterm infants
• adverse events
• safety
• invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD)

Acknowledgments

F Martinón-Torres’ research activities received support from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Proyecto de Investigación en Salud, Acción Estratégica en Salud): project GePEM ISCIII/PI16/01478/Cofinanciado FEDER, and project ReSVinext ISCIII/PI16/01569/Cofinanciado FEDER; Consellería de Sanidade, Xunta de Galicia (RHI07/2-intensificación actividad investigadora, PS09749 and 10PXIB918184PR), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Intensificación de la actividad investigadora 2007–2012, PI16/01569), Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS; PI070069/PI1000540) del plan nacional de I+D+I and ‘fondos FEDER’, and 2016-PG071 Consolidación e Estructuración REDES 2016GI-1344 G3VIP (Grupo Gallego de Genética Vacunas Infecciones y Pediatría, ED341D R2016/021).

Declaration of interest

F Martinón-Torres has received honoraria from GSK, Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, MSD, and Janssen for taking part in advisory boards and expert meetings, and for acting as speaker in congresses outside the scope of the submitted work and paid to his institution. F Martinón-Torres has also acted as a principal investigator in RCTs of the above-mentioned companies as well as Seqirus, Ablynx, Regeneron, Abbot, Novavax and Medimmune. I Rivero Calle has received honoraria from GSK, Pfizer, and MSD for acting as speaker and/or advisor. The other authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.