Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2011
Abstract
Background: The historical Japanese influenza vaccination program targeted at schoolchildren provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the indirect benefits of vaccinating high-transmitter groups to mitigate disease burden among seniors. Here we characterize the indirect mortality benefits of vaccinating schoolchildren based on data from Japan and the US.
Methods: We compared age-specific influenza-related excess mortality rates in Japanese seniors aged $65 years during the schoolchildren vaccination program (1978–1994) and after the program was discontinued (1995–2006). Indirect vaccine benefits were adjusted for demographic changes, socioeconomics and dominant influenza subtype; US mortality data were used as a control. Results: We estimate that the schoolchildren vaccination program conferred a 36% adjusted mortality reduction among Japanese seniors (95%CI: 17–51%), corresponding to ,1,000 senior deaths averted by vaccination annually (95%CI: 400– 1,800). In contrast, influenza-related mortality did not change among US seniors, despite increasing vaccine coverage in this population.
Conclusions: The Japanese schoolchildren vaccination program was associated with substantial indirect mortality benefits in seniors.
Recommended Citation
Influenza-Related Mortality Trends in Japanese and American Seniors: Evidence for the Indirect Mortality Benefits of Vaccinating Schoolchildren. PLoS ONE 6(11): e26282. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0026282
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Comments
Originally published in:
Charu V, Viboud C, Simonsen L, Sturm-Ramirez K, Shinjoh M, et al. (2011) Influenza-Related Mortality Trends in Japanese and American Seniors: Evidence for the Indirect Mortality Benefits of Vaccinating Schoolchildren. PLoS ONE 6(11): e26282. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0026282