title: Pneumococcal vaccination in Europe: schedule adherence.
abstract: Nonadherence to recommended pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) schedules may have implications for protection against pneumococcal disease. In this commentary, we have assessed adherence to the recommended dosing schedules (the completion of the primary PCV and booster series) in different European countries. We found that adherence with the PCV schedule was lower than that for diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP) and that higher adherence was observed in countries where PCV vaccination is recommended and funded. Adherence with the booster dose is often lower than that with the primary series completion, and it is often given after the recommended age. These data highlight the need to encourage timely vaccination of children with PCV, in line with local immunization schedules. There is no single solution to improve adherence; actions need to be tailored to the context of individual countries through initiatives at the national, regional, and local levels and should target different stakeholders.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Emergency Medicine Service, University Children's Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gervaix
authors.affiliation: University of Genoa and IRCCS "AOU San Martino-IST", Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ansaldi
authors.affiliation: Clínica Pediátrica, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brito-Avô
authors.affiliation: University of Florence and Anna Meyer Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azzari
authors.affiliation: Klinikum der Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden HSK, Dr Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Wiesbaden, Germany; Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Medicine Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knuf
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago, Spain; Genetics, Vaccines, Infections and Pediatrics Research Group (GENVIP), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago, Santiago, Spain.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinón-Torres
authors.affiliation: Université Catholique de Louvain, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Mont Godinne, Département de Pédiatrie, Yvoir, Belgium.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tuerlinckx
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Inc, Paris, France. Electronic address: Myint.TinTinHtar@pfizer.com.
authors.forename: Myint Tin
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Tin Htar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Thessaly, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, General University Hospital of Larissa, Biopolis, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Syrogiannopoulos
mesh_terms: D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate
keywords: Streptococcus pneumoniae; pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; vaccination schedule adherence; vaccine uptake