Response of steroid-treated former preterm infants to a single dose of meningococcal C conjugate vaccine☆

Humoral immune response to measles and varicella vaccination in former very low birth weight preterm infants

“…Antenatal corticosteroid use provides numerous benefits to premature infants, but multiple doses have been associated with adverse neurological prognosis; however, its effect on the immune response is controversial. 5 , 6 , 23 In the present study, we observed a negative effect on the humoral immune response to measles vaccination, similar to that reported after the use of corticosteroids for bronchopulmonary dysplasia treatment. 5 However, another study showed no influence on specific cellular immune responses after pertussis vaccination in premature infants.…”

“…Antenatal and postnatal corticosteroid use may interfere with the immune response to vaccination in premature infants. 5 , 6 Other factors associated with prematurity, such as transfusions of blood components, low weight gain during the postnatal period, and low breastfeeding rates may also affect the immune response to vaccination. 7 , 8 …”

Immunisation of premature infants

“…In a recent opportunistic study investigating former premature infants who were immunised with a single meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccine at 13 months of age, infants who had received steroids in the neonatal period did not appear to have attenuated immune responses compared with those who had not. 44 Administration of antenatal steroids does not seem to reduce the responses to MenC vaccine. 45 Based on the available evidence, there is no good justification to delay immunising steroid treated infants, as the demonstrated benefit of early protection of many infants outweighs the added benefit of potentially improved antibody responses of some infants.…”

Serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis invasive infection: analysis of the possible vaccination strategies for a mass campaign

“…Fifty‐three studies were initially identified: seven reviews (2,3,7,13–16) 26 observational studies (4–6,9–12,17–35), six clinical trials not randomized (36–41), one substudy of a clinical trial (42), 10 clinical trials randomized controlled (43–52), two research letters (53,54) and 1 editorial (8).…”

“…Meningococcal C conjugate vaccine has been demonstrated to be safe, immunogenic and efficacious in all the age classes (13,22,30,37,39,40,43,50). Also, herd immunity has been well documented (36).…”