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| Pediatric Vaccine Effectiveness Study |
PurposeThe Pediatric Vaccine Effectiveness Study is a case-control study in which the effectiveness of the trivalent influenza vaccine (flu shot) in children 6-23 months is being examined. This began during the 2005-2006 influenza season and has enrolled 55 Connecticut children. This study was expanded to include hospitalized cases up to 59 months of age during the 2006-2007 influenza season.
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Goals & Objectives
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ActivitiesVaccination with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) has been the major strategy for reducing the effect of influenza virus infections for many years. Influenza viruses are responsible for annual epidemics of respiratory disease that affect all segments of the U.S. population and result in considerable morbidity and mortality. Young children are at higher risk of influenza-associated complications and hospitalizations compared with healthy older children and adults aged < 65 years. Children with chronic, underlying medical conditions such as asthma are at even greater risk than healthy children for influenza-associated complications. The recent implementation of influenza vaccination in young children based on recommendations from ACIP and AAP prompts us to evaluate the effectiveness of TIV in preventing hospitalization among children. Evaluation is conducted through the Respiratory Diseases Activity of the Emerging Infections Program Network of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by building upon the existing surveillance system for laboratory-confirmed influenza in children.Laboratory confirmed influenza cases among New Haven County pediatric residents are received from the Connecticut Department of Public Health. These laboratory confirmed cases are followed-up by contacting hospital infection control practitioners to identify cases of pediatric influenza-related hospitalizations at their respective hospitals. For each influenza-related hospitalized case enrolled, four comparison children who were not hospitalized with an influenza infection are recruited. These comparison children are identified using birth certificate data and are matched by zip code and age. Once consent is obtained, through their parent or legal guardian, information is collected through interview and by contacting the child’s health care provider. Health care providers are contacted for both cases and controls to obtain immunization and medical history necessary to conduct the program evaluation. Matched univariate analyses between influenza vaccination and outcome will be conducted in addition to multivariable modeling. To estimate vaccine effectiveness we will calculate an adjusted, matched odds ratio for the odds of vaccination among hospitalized influenza cases vs. their comparison children. Immunization status will be explored in two ways. Children will be considered immunized if 1) there is any report of receipt of TIV, from parent or medical records, or 2) only if influenza vaccination status was confirmed from medical records. All children will be considered immunized for an influenza season if they have received TIV since September 1 of that particular influenza season and at least 14 days prior to the date of admission for the case. |
Project Contact PersonJohn Palumbo M.S., MT(ASCP)Program Coordinator Yale Emerging Infections Program One Church Street, 7th floor New Haven, CT 06510 John.Palumbo@yale.edu 203-764-4360 Back to Top |
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Emerging Infections Program |
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