title: Overview of Influenza Vaccines in Children.
abstract: Prevention of influenza infection through vaccination is the best strategy to reduce its disease burden; however, annual revaccination is required to provide protection from circulating virus strains. Currently available influenza vaccines are trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV) or live-attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV); however, quadrivalent formulations of IIV and LAIV are expected to be available for the 2013-2014 influenza season. Among children 6 months through 8 years of age receiving their first influenza vaccination, 2 doses of vaccines are required to provide adequate protection. Because of the wide range of circulating influenza viruses and host immune responses, estimates of vaccine effectiveness vary widely by year, age group, and vaccine studied. We summarize the evidence base for pediatric influenza vaccination, and we describe the challenges and limitations of protecting this population with currently available vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia klafond@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lafond
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: Janet A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Englund
authors.affiliation: Initiative for Vaccine Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.affiliation: Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bresee
keywords: Inactivated Influenza Vaccines; Influenza Vaccines; LAIV; Quadrivalent Vaccines