• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.2-8
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• 2022

Humanity is in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and vaccines-including mRNA vaccines-have been developed at an unprecedented speed. It is necessary to develop guidelines for vaccination for people undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART) and for pregnancy-related situations based on the extant laboratory and clinical data. COVID-19 vaccines do not appear to adversely affect gametes, embryos, or implantation; therefore, active vaccination is recommended for women or men who are preparing for ART. The use of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) for the treatment of immune-related infertility is unlikely to impact the effectiveness of the vaccines, so COVID-19 vaccines can be administered around ART cycles in which IVIG is scheduled. Pregnant women have been proven to be at risk of severe maternal and neonatal complications from COVID-19. It does not appear that COVID-19 vaccines harm pregnant women or fetuses; instead, they have been observed to deliver antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) to the fetus. Accordingly, it is recommended that pregnant women receive COVID-19 vaccination. There is no rationale for adverse effects, or clinical cases of adverse reactions, in mothers or neonates after COVID-19 vaccination in lactating women. Instead, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can be delivered through breast milk. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers should consider vaccination. In summary, active administration of COVID-19 vaccines will help ensure the safe implementation of ART, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.10
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• pp.1234-1240
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• 2002

Purpose : This study was carried out to obtain the vaccination rate and age appropriateness of vaccination in children under five years of age in Jeonbuk province. Methods : Eight hundred and fifty infants and children were enrolled in this study. Vaccination rate(Number of vaccinees/Number of subjects), places of vaccination, age appropriateness of vacination were examined by either vaccine record review or interview with parents or guardians. Results : The salient features of the findings were as follows : All subjects were aged under five and mostly under two years of age(68.8%). Places of vaccination were health centers or subcenters( 50.4%), private clinics(44.3%), and general hospitals(5.3%). Routine vaccinations such as BCG, hepatitis B vaccine(HBV), diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis(DTaP) and Trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine(TOPV), measles, mumps, rubella(MMR), and Japaneses B encephalitis(JBE) were vaccinated mostly in health centers or subcenters, while chickenpox(CHP) and haemophilus influenzae vaccines(Hib), which are not routine in Korea, were vaccinated in private clinics. The vaccination rates of BCG(99.2%), HBV(93.5%) and DTaP(96.1%) were very high. But those of MMR(83.7%), CHP(72.5%), JBE(50.2%), and Hib(15.8%) were lower than expected. Considering the age appropriateness of vaccination, some infants and children were not appropriately vaccinated(vaccination rate/age appropriateness of vaccine; HBV, 93.5%/88.4% : DTaP, 94.6%/73.1% : JBE, 50.2%/ 18.5%). Conclusion : The vaccination rate of BCG, HBV, DTaP and TOPV was very high, but MMR, CHP, JBE, and Hib vaccination rate was not high enough to be able to protect against epidemic. We should pay more attention to vaccinating children, and there is a need for a program that will enhance coverage for vaccines.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.151-158
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• 2017

Influenza vaccination in adolescents is crucial to prevent the influenza expansion. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference of personal factors and parental factors affected influenza vaccination coverage. Study data on 12-18 years old adolescents and their parents were obtained from the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Rao-Scott Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used for the analysis. The percentage of influenza vaccination coverage in adolescents was low (26.2%). The personal factors influencing influenza vaccination were age, discomfort within two weeks, history of pneumonia, and wearing safety belt in adolescents, and the parental factors were age and influenza vaccination. In order to increase the influenza vaccination coverage for adolescents, media and healthcare professionals should provide education to adolescents and their parents about influenza vaccination.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.291-303
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• 2008

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of commercial swine mycoplasma vaccine (M+$Pac^{(R)}$, Schering-Plough Animal HealthCo.) at different vaccination time points. Total 139 piglets were moved to experimental farm after weaning and were randomly allocated to 3 treatment groups and 1 control group. Piglets of 3 treatment groups (A, B and C) were vaccinated twice at 1 and 3 weeks (A group), 3 and 5 weeks (B), and 6 and 8 weeks (C), respectively. All vaccinates showed higher antibody titers compared with nonvaccinates, and maintained to finish (P<0.001). Performance and RBC/WBC count showed no significant difference between groups. Vaccinates at 6-8 weeks showed better effect on decrease of clinical sign compared with vaccinates at 1-3 weeks and 3-5 weeks and nonvaccinates. Also, lung lesion assessment showed significant difference between vaccinates at 3-5 weeks and 6-8 weeks, and nonvaccinates and vaccinates at 1-3 weeks (P<0.05). Vaccinates at 3-5 score in comparison with other groups. In conclusion, these results suggested that vaccination at 3-5 weeks or later may be more effective than earlier vaccination.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2003

Influenza virus is a major cause of respiratory infection in the epidemic season. Especially, the elderly with underlying health problems are at increased risk for complications of influenza. The objective of this study was to investigate that influenza vaccination can reduce the hospital admission rate related to the respiratory diseases. This study was a retrospective study of two age groups, who are the healthy children aged 6 months to 9 years (n=237) and the adults aged over 20 years with respiratory disease (n=327). The vaccinated groups were compared to the controls that were matched in sex and age. The children were vaccinated in winter season of 1995-96 and the adults were vaccinated in 1996-97. The efficacy of influenza vaccine was evaluated with the number of outpatient visits in children group, the admission rate and the mean admission days in both children and adult group. As results, there were not significant differences between the vaccinated and the control group of children. In the elderly over 61 years, however, the influenza vaccination can reduce the admission rate $(8.9\%\;vs.\;25.6\%,\;p<0.05)$ and the mean admission days (1.3 vs. 3.8 days, p<0.05) compared to the control. In conclusion, influenza vaccination can effectively reduce the events related to respiratory infection in the elderly than the children. The elderly should be recommended for influenza vaccination.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.172-179
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• 2023

Objectives: Vaccination is an important intervention for preventing disease and reducing disease severity. Universal vaccination programs have significantly reduced the incidence of many dangerous diseases among children worldwide. This study investigated the side effects after immunization in infants under 1 year of age in Lorestan Province, western Iran. Methods: This descriptive analytical study included data from all children <1 year old in Lorestan Province, Iran who were vaccinated according to the national schedule in 2020 and had an adverse event following immunization (AEFI). Data were extracted from 1084 forms on age, sex, birth weight, type of birth, AEFI type, vaccine type, and time of vaccination. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage) were calculated, and the chi-square test and Fisher exact test were used to assess differences in AEFIs according to the abovelisted variables. Results: The most frequent AEFIs were high fever (n=386, 35.6%), mild local reaction (n=341, 31.5%), and swelling and pain (n=121, 11.2%). The least common AEFIs were encephalitis (n=1, 0.1%), convulsion (n=2, 0.2%), and nodules (n=3, 0.3%). Girls and boys only showed significant differences in mild local reactions (p=0.044) and skin allergies (p=0.002). The incidence of lymphadenitis (p<0.001), severe local reaction (p<0.001), mild local reaction (p=0.007), fainting (p=0.032), swelling and pain (p=0.006), high fever (p=0.005), and nodules (p<0.001) showed significant differences based on age at vaccination. Conclusions: Immunization is a fundamental public health policy for controlling vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. Although vaccines such as the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine, oral poliovirus vaccine, and pentavalent vaccine are well-researched and reliable, AEFIs are inevitable.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.141-148
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• 2011

Annual epidemics of seasonal influenza occur during autumn and winter in temperate regions and have imposed substantial public health and economic burdens. At the global level, these epidemics cause about 3-5 million severe cases of illness and about 0.25-0.5 million deaths each year. Although annual vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the disease and its severe outcomes, influenza vaccination coverage rates have been at suboptimal levels in many countries. For instance, the coverage rates among the elderly in 20 developed nations in 2008 ranged from 21% to 78% (median 65%). In the U.S., influenza vaccination levels among elderly population appeared to reach a "plateau" of about 70% after the late 1990s, and levels among child populations have remained at less than 50%. In addition, disparities in the coverage rates across subpopulations within a country present another important public health issue. New approaches are needed for countries striving both to improve their overall coverage rates and to eliminate disparities. This review article aims to describe a broad conceptual framework of vaccination, and to illustrate four potential determinants of influenza vaccination based on empirical analyses of U.S. nationally representative populations. These determinants include the ongoing influenza epidemic level, mass media reporting on influenza-related topics, reimbursement rate for providers to administer influenza vaccination, and vaccine supply. It additionally proposes specific policy implications, derived from these empirical analyses, to improve the influenza vaccination coverage rate and associated disparities in the U.S., which could be generalizable to other countries.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.108-114
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• 2022

The Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia. Since the introduction of a universal JE vaccination program and urbanization of Korea, the incidence of JE has dramatically decreased in Korea. However, recent JE cases have occurred, predominantly among unvaccinated adults and with a shift in age distribution. Here we aimed to review the changes in age-specific JE seroprevalence over time and discuss the implications of JE vaccination programs in Korea. Following the last epidemic in 1982-1983, mandatory vaccination for all children aged 3-15 years was conducted annually until 1994. However, JE has reemerged, predominantly affecting unvaccinated adults aged 40 years or older and demonstrating a shift in age distribution toward older populations. The age-specific seroprevalence of the JE virus in Korea has changed noticeably over time. Seropositivity in children and adolescents increased from 10%-59% in the 1970s to 90%-92% in the 1980s after the implementation of the JE vaccination program and increased further to 98% in 2012. No age-specific difference in the seroprevalence of JE was found, and appropriate levels of immunity to JE were maintained for all age groups. Continuous surveillance of the seroprevalence of JE is essential to establish a proper immunization policy in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.515-522
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• 2023

Objectives: The pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exerted an unprecedented impact on the health of populations worldwide. However, the adverse health consequences of the pandemic in terms of infection and mortality rates have varied across countries. In this study, we investigate whether COVID-19 mortality rates across a group of developed nations are associated with characteristics of their healthcare systems, beyond the differential policy responses in those countries. Methods: To achieve the study objective, we distinguished healthcare systems based on the extent of healthcare decommodification. Using available daily data from 2020, 2021, and 2022, we applied quantile regression with non-additive fixed effects to estimate mortality rates across quantiles. Our analysis began prior to vaccine development (in 2020) and continued after the vaccines were introduced (throughout 2021 and part of 2022). Results: The findings indicate that higher testing rates, coupled with more stringent containment and public health measures, had a significant negative impact on the death rate in both pre-vaccination and post-vaccination models. The data from the post-vaccination model demonstrate that higher vaccination rates were associated with significant decreases in fatalities. Additionally, our research indicates that countries with healthcare systems characterized by high and medium levels of decommodification experienced lower mortality rates than those with healthcare systems involving low decommodification. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that stronger public health infrastructure and more inclusive social protections have mitigated the severity of the pandemic's adverse health impacts, more so than emergency containment measures and social restrictions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.629-633
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• 2010

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory tract disease caused by $Bordetella$ $pertussis$ infection. The clinical manifestation of this infection can be severe enough to cause death. Although pertussis has been supposed to be a vaccine-preventable disease ever since the widespread vaccination of children against pertussis was started, since the 1990s, cases of pertussis and related fatalities are on the rise, especially in countries with high vaccination coverage. In Korea, there have been no deaths due to pertussis since 1990, and the vaccination rate continues to be approximately 94%. However, the number of pertussis cases reported to the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention has tended to increase in the 2000s, and in 2009, there was an obvious increase in the number of pertussis cases reported. This review aims to present the latest information about the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pertussis.