In Brief | Paediatrics & Neonatology | Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobials & Vaccines 

Maternal Vaccine Effectiveness Against Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Infants

This article is a review of a recent study originally published in JAMA Paediatrics, 26 February 2024.It does not represent the original research, nor is it intended to replace the original research. Access the full Disclaimer Information.

Influenza virus infection during pregnancy poses risks for severe maternal disease and adverse birth outcomes.  The inactivated influenza vaccine is considered safe and effective, but data after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic are limited. 

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of influenza vaccination during pregnancy against influenza-related hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits in infants under 6 months. 

The researchers conducted a prospective, test-negative case-control study and included Infants younger than 6 months with an ED visit or hospitalization for acute respiratory illness. Of 3764 infants included, 53% were born to vaccinated mothers.

Overall, vaccine effectiveness in infants was 34%, rising to 39% against hospitalizations and 19% against ED visits. In infants younger than 3 months, effectiveness was 53%. 

Effectiveness was higher (52%) when mothers were vaccinated in the third trimester compared to the first or second trimesters (17%). These findings suggest the moderate effectiveness of maternal influenza vaccination in preventing influenza-related hospitalizations and ED visits in infants under 6 months, with greater protection seen in younger infants and those born to mothers vaccinated in the third trimester.

Access the original research article

Sahni, L. C., Olson, S. M., Halasa, N. B., Stewart, L. S., Michaels, M. G., Williams, J. V., Englund, J. A., Klein, E. J., Staat, M. A., Schlaudecker, E. P., Selvarangan, R., Schuster, J. E., Weinberg, G. A., Szilagyi, P. G., Boom, J. A., Patel, M. M., Muñoz, F. M., & New Vaccine Surveillance Network Collaborators (2024). Maternal Vaccine Effectiveness Against Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Infants. JAMA pediatrics, 178(2), 176–184. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.5639


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