title: Vaccine responsiveness in the elderly: best practice for the clinic.
abstract: The success of vaccines developed since the beginning of the 20th century, has enabled the conquest of several childhood diseases preventing death and or disability for millions of children. But, globally, the number of children will soon be surpassed by the number of adults over the age of 65. The active lifestyle of these older individuals, coupled with a degree of immune deficiency recognised within this population will lead to a change in the profile of diseases affecting the elderly. The challenge for policy makers and also those involved in primary healthcare is how to protect this population from communicable diseases and keep them healthy, autonomous and independent when vaccines in the main have been developed for use on children and young adults.
authors.affiliation: Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aspinall
authors.forename: Pierre Olivier
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D029521:Alphainfluenzavirus / Q000276:immunology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D014612:Vaccines
keywords: aging; immune profiling; immunity; immunosenescence; vaccination