title: Study of Greek children and youths with cystic fibrosis identifies immunisation gaps and delays.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Data about immunisation rates in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are scarce. We estimated the rates and timeliness of immunisations in CF patients aged 0.55-22 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 122 subjects at a hospital in Greece in 2014. A standard questionnaire was used to collect data and parents' opinions about immunisations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The complete immunisation rates were 92.6% for diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-inactivated poliomyelitis-Haemophilus influenzae (DTaP-IPV-Hib), 96.7% for hepatitis A, 97.4% for hepatitis B, 97.4% for measles-mumps-rubella, 85.1% for the varicella zoster virus, 85.1% for the meningococcus C conjugate, 84.3% for the pneumococcus conjugate and 58.9% for the bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine. Immunisation rates in youths were 64.4% for DTaP-IPV, 26.8% for the tetravalent meningococcus conjugate vaccine and 54.1% for the human papilloma virus vaccine. In addition, 30.1% received the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine and 45.6% received annual influenza vaccines. Complete, up-to-date immunisation rates fell from 61.4% at 12 months of age to 14.5% at six and 12 years. All vaccines experienced delays. Most parents believed vaccines were necessary to protect their child's health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study of children with CF found immunisation gaps with no catch-up immunisations and these need to be administered at follow-up visits.
authors.affiliation: Department for Interventions in Health-Care Facilities, Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Helena C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Maltezou
authors.affiliation: Cystic Fibrosis Department, University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doudounakis
authors.affiliation: Cystic Fibrosis Department, University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lekaditi
authors.affiliation: Cystic Fibrosis Department, University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanou
authors.affiliation: Department for Interventions in Health-Care Facilities, Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Katerelos
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pediatrics, University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theodoridou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cystic fibrosis; Immunisation; Influenza; Pneumococcus; Vaccine