title: [Immunization of the preterm infant].
abstract: Premature infants have an increased risk of experiencing infectious diseases, some of which are vaccine preventable diseases. Maturation of immune responses begins with exposition to environmental antigens and in premature infants as fast as in term-infants. Premature infants must be vaccinated at 2 months of age, whatever the gestational age. Acellular Pertussis vaccine and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine must be given as early as possible, at two months of age. Immunization schedule in premature infants is the same as in full-term infants : three injections one month apart with a pentavalent vaccine : Diphteria, Tetanus, Poliomyelitis, Pertussis and Haemophilus type b. First injection of hepatitis B vaccine must not be taken in account when this vaccine is given at birth to infants under 2 kg birth weight. Premature infants 6 months of age or older and experiencing chronic lung disease have to be vaccinated against influenza. In all cases, surroundings have to be vaccinated. Apnea and/or bradycardia have been reported within the 48 hours following vaccination in premature infants before 32 weeks of gestational age and justify giving their first injection of vaccine under cardiorespiratory monitoring. These injections will be given before discharge as often as possible.
authors.affiliation: Service de pédiatrie, CHU Jean-Verdier, avenue du 14 juillet, 93140 Bondy, France. joel.gaudelus@jvr.aphp.fr
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaudelus
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lefèvre-Akriche
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roumegoux
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bolie
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Belasco
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Letamendia-Richard
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lachassinne
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001049:Apnea / Q000209:etiology; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D005865:Gestational Age; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011054:Poliovirus Vaccine, Inactivated; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; C426945:Pentavac; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D011054:Poliovirus Vaccine, Inactivated; D017778:Vaccines, Combined