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Immunisation status of children in Germany: temporal trends and regional differences

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Abstract

In Germany, a low coverage with hepatitis B and measles vaccines and a considerable delay in administration of all recommended vaccines were previously apparent. Whether there have been improvements and whether there are regional differences within Germany is not known. Using representative nationwide telephone interviews on 2,701 children born 1996–2003, we assessed vaccination coverage for the first dose or full primary series (2/3 doses, depending on vaccine used) at 24 months of age. The proportions vaccinated with the first dose, full priming and full immunisation (2/3 doses plus booster in the 2nd year of life) until the end of the recommended age (3, 5 and 15 months, respectively, for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B vaccines (DTPPolioHibHep), and 15 for the first measles, mumps and rubella dose (MMR) were used as indicators of compliance with national guidelines. Coverage for polio, Hib and hepatitis B vaccines increased, while coverage for the first MMR dose remained constantly low at about 70%. Vaccination coverage differed substantially among the German states and was highest for the new states. Compliance with national guidelines increased from 2.5% to 15% for the full primary DTPPolioHibHep series, from 16.2% to 44.7% for the first MMR dose and from 1.0% to 19.3% for the full immunisation with all recommended vaccines (DTPPolioHibHepMMR). Conclusion:Vaccination coverage at 24 months and compliance with national guidelines has improved for most vaccines in Germany. However, improving coverage for measles, mumps, rubella and eliminating the regional disparities remain a major challenge for the public health sector.

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Abbreviations

DTPPolioHibHep :

diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B

Hib :

Haemophilus influenzae type b

MMR :

measles, mumps, rubella

STIKO :

Ständige Impfkommission am Robert-Koch-Institut

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Social Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Heiglhofstrasse 63, 81377 , Munich, Germany

    Helen Kalies & Rüdiger von Kries

  2. Dr. von Haunersches Children’s Hospital, Munich, Germany

    Veit Grote

  3. University Children’s Hospital, Mainz, Germany

    Heinz-Josef Schmitt

Authors
  1. Helen Kalies
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  2. Veit Grote
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  3. Heinz-Josef Schmitt
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  4. Rüdiger von Kries
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helen Kalies.

Additional information

This study is part of a project evaluating vaccine effectiveness against Haemophilus influenzae type b which is financially supported by Aventis Pasteur MSD and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals.

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Kalies, H., Grote, V., Schmitt, HJ. et al. Immunisation status of children in Germany: temporal trends and regional differences. Eur J Pediatr 165, 30–36 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-005-1758-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-005-1758-0

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