title: Vaccine co-administration in paediatric age: the experience of the Local Health Unit of Cuneo-1 (Ambito di Cuneo), Italy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The immunization schedule might be continuously updated on the basis of the new scientific and epidemiological knowledge, possible changes in operational requirements and the availability of new products. A high vaccination compliance is strictly related to factors such as tolerability, effectiveness and number of injections. This last has always been a critical point and combined vaccines guarantee high levels of safety and immunogenicity requiring fewer injections and accesses to services. Co-administration should be considered in order to expand the supply of important vaccinations, (eg. meningococcal and pneumococcal), avoiding the increase of the number of accesses to services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Since January 2007, an experience with the co-administration of hexavalent vaccine together with conjugate pneumococcal and meningococcal C vaccines started at the LHU CN1-Ambito di Cuneo. The target of this co-administration, based on scientific criteria, is to provide immunization against St. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis in newborns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Considering that the coverage rate (VC%) with hexavalent vaccine has been always high and that, at the end of 2006, the VC% for the pneumococcal and meningococcal C conjugate vaccines were equal to 50.4% and 44.4%, in this first year of experience the compliance to co-administration has significantly increased from 47% of doses administered in the first quarter of 2007 to 65% in the first quarter of 2008.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Co-administration could be an useful mean to introduce new immunizations into the vaccination schedule and to achieve high vaccination coverage rates.
authors.affiliation: LHU CN1 - Ambito di Cuneo - Dept. of Hygiene and Public Health - Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Busellu
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cucchi
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gabutti
mesh_terms: D000069443:Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000069443:Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate