title: [Theoretical epidemiology and vaccine].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We describe important findings in theoretical epidemiology related to mass vaccination, including herd immunity and vaccine efficacy measures.
  Through a review of recent publications, we address the following questions: is there optimal vaccine coverage? Is it possible to achieve optimal coverage through individual choice? What are the consequences of a suboptimal vaccination? What is vaccine efficacy and how is it measured?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results define a framework for analysing how successful mass vaccination may be from a public health perspective.
authors.affiliation: Inserm, UMR S 707, Faculté de Médecine Saint-Antoine, 27, rue Chaligny, 75571 Paris cedex 12, France. boelle@u707.jussieu.fr
authors.forename: P-Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Boëlle
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D018448:Models, Immunological; D014611:Vaccination / Q000592:standards*