Control of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Across the Whole of Life

Vaccines are one of the greatest advances in public health, resulting in eradication of smallpox and control of many infections such as diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis that were once the leading cause of childhood death. Most vaccine-preventable diseases (such as influenza, pneumocococcal disease) have the highest incidence at the extremes of age, with infants and the elderly being most at risk. The potential for disease control with vaccines has expanded across all ages, with many countries incorporating adolescent and adult vaccines into national schedules. Additionally, the relationship of infections to non-communicable diseases is increasingly recognised, including cancer (HPV, hepatitis B) and cardiovascular disease (influenza, pneumococcal and herpes zoster). However, vaccination programs require sustained vaccine coverage, or disease resurgence will occur. Currently, the world is experiencing a resurgence of measles and mumps. Reasons are multifactorial, and include drop in vaccination coverage, anti-vaccination sentiment, pockets of under-vaccinated children and young adults and waning of vaccine immunity. This poses many current challenges to disease control that require an understanding of disease epidemiology, vaccine immunology, behavioral and social factors, as well as optimal use of public health vaccination programs.

This Research Topic will focus on the control of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) across the whole of life. We seek papers on pediatric and adult VPDs, as well as vaccines for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Papers may cover any of the following topics:

• Infant and childhood vaccination and VPDs;
• Adolescent vaccination and VPDs;
• Adult vaccines and VPDs including travellers, parents, older adults and other risk groups;
• Epidemiology of VPDs;
• Clinical research on VPDs, including phase 3 randomised clinical trials;
• Vaccine hesitancy research and research on social and behavioral factors in vaccination;
• Vaccination uptake, coverage, surveillance and adverse events research;
• VPDs and non-communicable diseases (such as influenza and cardiovascular disease; HPV and cancer);
• Health promotion and advocacy research on vaccines.

Methodologies can include epidemiology, public health, clinical trials, mathematical modelling, health economic modelling and social or behavioral research. We would welcome contributions on COVID-19 epidemiology, coinfection with influenza and other pathogens, pandemic control through vaccination and other interventions, including modelling studies on topics such as herd immunity, optimal target groups in the event of limited vaccine supply, and original research or systematic reviews of vaccine development approaches for SARS CoV, MERS COV and COVID 19.

Topic Editor Professor Raina MacIntyre has received funding and been on advisory boards for Sanofi, Seqirus and Pfizer. Topic Editor Professor Daniel Salmon has received research support from Merck and Walgreens.