Impact of New-Generation Vaccines on Pediatric Infectious Disease Burden: A Comprehensive Review


Authors : Dr. Venugopal Reddy Iragamreddy

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 9 - September


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/yym28udm

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25sep1007

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Abstract : Childhood immunisation has transformed global health, substantially reducing morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases. Over the past two decades, the introduction of new-generation vaccines—including pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), rotavirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal, influenza, and most recently, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines—has further accelerated progress. These vaccines have reduced disease incidence, improved child survival, and conferred indirect protection through herd immunity [1–4]. Beyond direct benefits, immunisation has contributed to reduced antibiotic use, mitigating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and alleviating economic burdens on families and healthcare systems [21,22]. Despite remarkable successes, challenges persist: inequitable access in low- and middle-income countries, serotype replacement in pneumococcal infections, programmatic hurdles, and vaccine hesitancy [1,2]. Recent advances in vaccine technology—such as mRNA platforms, nanoparticle-based formulations, and intranasal delivery systems—signal an era of innovation with the potential to overcome these barriers [18,20]. This review synthesises current evidence on the global impact of new-generation vaccines, highlighting epidemiological outcomes, broader public health benefits, and future directions. Strengthening equity, investing in innovation, and enhancing community trust will be critical to maximising the benefits of pediatric immunisation in the decades ahead.

Keywords : Pediatric Vaccines, Immunisation, Pneumococcal Conjugate, Rotavirus, HPV, RSV, Infectious Disease Burden, Antimicrobial Resistance.

References :

  1. World Health Organization. Immunisation coverage. WHO Fact Sheet. 2024. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/immunization-coverage
  2. United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). State of the World’s Children: Immunisation. UNICEF; 2023.
  3. O’Brien KL, Wolfson LJ, Watt JP, Henkle E, Deloria-Knoll M, McCall N, et al. Burden of disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in children younger than 5 years: global estimates. Lancet. 2009;374(9693):893–902.
  4. Whitney CG, Farley MM, Hadler J, Harrison LH, Bennett NM, Lynfield R, et al. Decline in invasive pneumococcal disease after the introduction of protein–polysaccharide conjugate vaccine. N Engl J Med. 2003;348(18):1737–46.
  5. Pilishvili T, Lexau C, Farley MM, Hadler J, Harrison LH, Bennett NM, et al. Sustained reductions in invasive pneumococcal disease in the era of conjugate vaccine. J Infect Dis. 2010;201(1):32–41.
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  8. Richardson V, Hernandez-Pichardo J, Quintanar-Solares M, Esparza-Aguilar M, Johnson B, Gomez-Altamirano CM, et al. Effect of rotavirus vaccination on death from childhood diarrhea in Mexico. N Engl J Med. 2010;362(4):299–305.
  9. Cowgill KD, Ndiritu M, Nyiro J, Slack MPE, Chiphatsi S, Ismail A, et al. Effectiveness of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine introduction into routine childhood immunisation in Kenya. JAMA. 2006;296(6):671–8.
  10. Peltola H. Worldwide Haemophilus influenzae type b disease at the beginning of the 21st century: global analysis of the disease burden 25 years after the use of the polysaccharide vaccine and a decade after the advent of conjugates. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2000;13(2):302–17.
  11. Garland SM, Kjaer SK, Muñoz N, Block SL, Brown DR, DiNubile MJ, et al. Impact and effectiveness of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine: a systematic review of 10 years of real-world experience. Clin Infect Dis. 2016;63(4):519–27.
  12. Drolet M, Bénard É, Pérez N, Brisson M, Ali H, Boily MC, et al. Population-level impact and herd effects following the introduction of human papillomavirus vaccination programmes: updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2019;394(10197):497–509.
  13. Halloran ME, Longini IM Jr, Struchiner CJ. Estimating the efficacy of influenza vaccines in children. Epidemiol Rev. 2010;32(1):71–86.
  14. Ferdinands JM, Gaglani M, Martin ET, Monto AS, Middleton D, Silveira FP, et al. Prevention of influenza hospitalization among children in the United States, 2010–2012. Pediatrics. 2014;134(4):e1046–54.
  15. Greenwood B. Manson Lecture: Meningococcal meningitis in Africa. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1999;93(4):341–53.
  16. Trotter CL, Lingani C, Fernandez K, Cooper LV, Bita A, Tevi-Benissan C, et al. Impact of MenAfriVac in nine countries of the African meningitis belt, 2010–15: an analysis of surveillance data. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017;17(8):867–72.
  17. Klein NP, Stockwell MS, Demarco M, Gaglani M, Kharbanda AB, Irving SA, et al. Effectiveness of COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection among children aged 5–11 years and adolescents aged 12–15 years — PROTECT Cohort, July 2021–Feb 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022;71(23):870–8.
  18. Frenck RW Jr, Klein NP, Kitchin N, Gurtman A, Absalon J, Lockhart S, et al. Safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine in adolescents. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(24):239–50.
  19. Hammitt LL, Dagan R, Yuan Y, Baca Cots M, Bosheva M, Madhi SA, et al. Nirsevimab for prevention of RSV in healthy late-preterm and term infants. N Engl J Med. 2022;386(9):837–46.
  20. Heath PT, Hammitt LL, McMahon M, Stolper J, Baca Cots M, Bosheva M, et al. Safety and efficacy of maternal RSV vaccination. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(2):145–58.
  21. Laxminarayan R, Matsoso P, Pant S, Brower C, Røttingen JA, Klugman K, et al. Access to effective antimicrobials: a worldwide challenge. Lancet. 2016;387(10014):168–75.
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Childhood immunisation has transformed global health, substantially reducing morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases. Over the past two decades, the introduction of new-generation vaccines—including pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), rotavirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal, influenza, and most recently, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines—has further accelerated progress. These vaccines have reduced disease incidence, improved child survival, and conferred indirect protection through herd immunity [1–4]. Beyond direct benefits, immunisation has contributed to reduced antibiotic use, mitigating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and alleviating economic burdens on families and healthcare systems [21,22]. Despite remarkable successes, challenges persist: inequitable access in low- and middle-income countries, serotype replacement in pneumococcal infections, programmatic hurdles, and vaccine hesitancy [1,2]. Recent advances in vaccine technology—such as mRNA platforms, nanoparticle-based formulations, and intranasal delivery systems—signal an era of innovation with the potential to overcome these barriers [18,20]. This review synthesises current evidence on the global impact of new-generation vaccines, highlighting epidemiological outcomes, broader public health benefits, and future directions. Strengthening equity, investing in innovation, and enhancing community trust will be critical to maximising the benefits of pediatric immunisation in the decades ahead.

Keywords : Pediatric Vaccines, Immunisation, Pneumococcal Conjugate, Rotavirus, HPV, RSV, Infectious Disease Burden, Antimicrobial Resistance.

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