title: Recommended immunization schedules for adults: Clinical practice guidelines by the Escmid Vaccine Study Group (EVASG), European Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) and the World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders (WAidid).
abstract: Rapid population aging has become a major challenge in the industrialized world and progressive aging is a key reason for making improvement in vaccination a cornerstone of public health strategy. An increase in age-related disorders and conditions is likely to be seen in the near future, and these are risk factors for the occurrence of a number of vaccine-preventable diseases. An improvement in infectious diseases prevention specifically aimed at adults and the elderly can therefore also decrease the burden of these chronic conditions by reducing morbidity, disability, hospital admissions, health costs, mortality rates and, perhaps most importantly, by improving the quality of life. Among adults, it is necessary to identify groups at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases and highlight the epidemiological impact and benefits of vaccinations using an evidence-based approach. This document provides clinical practice guidance on immunization for adults in order to provide recommendations for decision makers and healthcare workers in Europe. Although immunization is considered one of the most impactful and cost-effective public health measures that can be undertaken, vaccination coverage rates among adults are largely lower than the stated goal of ≥ 95% among adults, and stronger efforts are needed to increase coverage in this population. Active surveillance of adult vaccine-preventable diseases, determining the effectiveness of the vaccines approved for marketing in the last 5 y, the efficacy and safety of vaccines in immunocompromised patients, as well as in pregnant women, represent the priorities for future research.
authors.affiliation: a Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: b Department of Health Sciences , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonanni
authors.affiliation: c CNR - Institute of Neuroscience, Aging Branch Center for Research , Padua , Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: d Immunization Action Coalition , St Paul , MN , USA.
authors.forename: Litjan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: e Department of Health Sciences , University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino-IST University Teaching Hospital , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ansaldi
authors.affiliation: f Unit of Public Health, University of Bari , Bari , Italy.
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lopalco
authors.affiliation: g Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Soroka University Medical Center and the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University , Beer-Sheva , Israel.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dagan
authors.affiliation: h Geriatric Department , Geneva University , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.affiliation: i Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, Antwerp University , Wilrijk , Belgium.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van Damme
authors.affiliation: j Department of Infectious Disease , Annecy , France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaillat
authors.affiliation: k Department of Social Medicine , Faculty of Medicine, Charles University , Sokolska, Hradec Kralove , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prymula
authors.affiliation: l Vaccine Research Center, Tampere University Hospital , Tampere , Finland.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vesikari
authors.affiliation: m Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , Modena , Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mussini
authors.affiliation: n Division of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University , Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: o University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover , Hannover , Germany.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osterhaus
authors.affiliation: p European Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Stockholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Lucia Pastore
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Celentano
authors.affiliation: q Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health , Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: q Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health , Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guercio
authors.affiliation: r University Clinic of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospital of Grenoble, and GREPI University of Grenoble-Alpes , Grenoble , France.
authors.forename: Gaetan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gavazzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: adults; elderly; infectious diseases; prevention; vaccination; vaccines