Zeitschrift für Allgemeinmedizin

Adult Immunization in General Medical Practice

Abstract

Jane Bourke*

Clinicians who work with adults face two types of challenges when it comes to vaccination: staying up to date on recommendations for the influenza, pneumococcal, hepatitis A and B, zoster, and other vaccines; and overcoming systemic obstacles to putting practises into place that boost vaccination rates. Although adult vaccination rates are still below average, there have been many encouraging developments recently. In older persons, new high-dose and adjuvanted influenza vaccines may lessen influenza complications by enhancing immune response. The novel recombinant zoster vaccine is substantially more effective than the live zoster vaccine at preventing zoster outbreaks and postherpetic neuralgia. Giving an infant the pertussis vaccine during the third trimester of pregnancy may prevent 50% to 90% of infant pertussis infections. A novel, adjuvanted hepatitis B vaccine that takes less time to complete (1 vs. 6 months) could. One of the top 10 public health accomplishments of the twenty-first century, according to experts, is the decline in diseases that can be prevented by vaccination.