title: Vaccine-preventable diseases: from paediatric to adult targets.
abstract: The morbidity and mortality related to many communicable infectious diseases have significantly decreased in Western countries largely because of the use of antibiotics, and the implementation of well-planned vaccination strategies and national immunisation schedules specifically aimed at infants and children. However, although immunisation has proved to be highly effective for public health, more effort is needed to improve the currently sub-optimal rates of vaccination against various diseases among adults who may be at risk because of their age, medical condition or occupation. The vaccines currently licenced in Western countries are safe, immunogenic and effective against many infectious diseases and their complications, but the availability of newer vaccines or vaccines with new indications, the evolving ecology and epidemiology of many infections, population ageing, and other demographic changes (i.e. the increasing prevalence of chronic comorbidities and immunodeficiencies, mass migration, new working relationships, and widespread international tourism) require changes in the approach to immunisation. There is now a need for appropriate preventive measures for adults and the elderly aimed at protecting people at risk by using every possible catch-up opportunity and recommending specific age-related schedules on the basis of local epidemiology.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: susanna.esposito@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: Hygiene Unit, Department of Health Science, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Durando
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bosis
authors.affiliation: Hygiene Unit, Department of Health Science, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ansaldi
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tagliabue
authors.affiliation: Hygiene Unit, Department of Health Science, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Icardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D014195:Travel; D014611:Vaccination; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: Adults; Infectious diseases; Prevention; The elderly; Vaccination; Vaccine