TY - JOUR
T1 - Influenza-related mortality trends in japanese and american seniors
T2 - Evidence for the indirect mortality benefits of vaccinating schoolchildren
AU - Charu, Vivek
AU - Viboud, Cécile
AU - Simonsen, Lone
AU - Sturm-Ramirez, Katharine
AU - Shinjoh, Masayoshi
AU - Chowell, Gerardo
AU - Miller, Mark
AU - Sugaya, Norio
PY - 2011/11/7
Y1 - 2011/11/7
N2 - Background: The historical Japanese influenza vaccination program targeted at schoolchildren provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the indirect benefits of vaccinating high-transmitter groups to mitigate disease burden among seniors. Here we characterize the indirect mortality benefits of vaccinating schoolchildren based on data from Japan and the US. Methods: We compared age-specific influenza-related excess mortality rates in Japanese seniors aged ≥65 years during the schoolchildren vaccination program (1978-1994) and after the program was discontinued (1995-2006). Indirect vaccine benefits were adjusted for demographic changes, socioeconomics and dominant influenza subtype; US mortality data were used as a control. Results: We estimate that the schoolchildren vaccination program conferred a 36% adjusted mortality reduction among Japanese seniors (95%CI: 17-51%), corresponding to ~1,000 senior deaths averted by vaccination annually (95%CI: 400-1,800). In contrast, influenza-related mortality did not change among US seniors, despite increasing vaccine coverage in this population. Conclusions: The Japanese schoolchildren vaccination program was associated with substantial indirect mortality benefits in seniors.
AB - Background: The historical Japanese influenza vaccination program targeted at schoolchildren provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the indirect benefits of vaccinating high-transmitter groups to mitigate disease burden among seniors. Here we characterize the indirect mortality benefits of vaccinating schoolchildren based on data from Japan and the US. Methods: We compared age-specific influenza-related excess mortality rates in Japanese seniors aged ≥65 years during the schoolchildren vaccination program (1978-1994) and after the program was discontinued (1995-2006). Indirect vaccine benefits were adjusted for demographic changes, socioeconomics and dominant influenza subtype; US mortality data were used as a control. Results: We estimate that the schoolchildren vaccination program conferred a 36% adjusted mortality reduction among Japanese seniors (95%CI: 17-51%), corresponding to ~1,000 senior deaths averted by vaccination annually (95%CI: 400-1,800). In contrast, influenza-related mortality did not change among US seniors, despite increasing vaccine coverage in this population. Conclusions: The Japanese schoolchildren vaccination program was associated with substantial indirect mortality benefits in seniors.
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U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0026282
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0026282
M3 - Article
C2 - 22087226
AN - SCOPUS:80455126993
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 6
JO - PloS one
JF - PloS one
IS - 11
M1 - e26282
ER -