title: Problems and solutions to the development of vaccines in the elderly.
abstract: Scientists involved in vaccine research and development face the challenge of protecting the ever-increasing elderly population from a broad spectrum of infectious diseases. The optimal vaccine-induced immune response to confer protection is undefined for many pathogens, and the field of vaccine research is undergoing a gradual shift from the original focus on humoral immunity to a focus that incorporates cellular and innate immune components. The age-related changes in various aspects of immune function, including an increase in a population of T cells that shows signs of replicative senescence, underscore the need to enhance research aimed at designing vaccines to meet the unique requirements of the elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1732 USA. reffros@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Rita B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Effros
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D014611:Vaccination; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines