Epidemiological and economic efficiency of mass vaccinal prevention against pneumococcal infection in children compared with selective immunization at the example of community-acquired pneumonia

Aim. To study the epidemiological pattern of community-acquired pneumonias in children and the influence of mass vaccinal prevention on morbidity and mortality.

Materials and methods. Vaccination of children against pneumococcal infection on the territory of a large industrial center of Western Urals was analyzed, influence of mass vaccination against pneumococcal infection on pneumonia morbidity and mortality in children was determined.

Results. Mass vaccinal prevention of children of the first year of life against pneumococcal infection (vaccination volume 102 353.6 per 100 thousand children under 6) significantly influenced morbidity level regarding community-acquired pneumonias in the group of vaccinated children under 2 (1619.9 ± 0.78 versus 15233.7 ± 2.5 per 100 thousand in the group of unvaccinated, odds ratio and its confidence interval was 9.40 [95 % CI 8.46–10.44]), on community-acquired streptococcal morbidity of children under 6 (r = 0.97; regression coefficient = 36.30, р < 0.001; R² = 91.0 %, significance F = 0.01 and possibility 95.0 %) and 5-fold decreased the mortality level (from 35.2 before vaccination started to 6.8 per 100 thousand) till its full absence in the third year of realization of this strategy. No analogous influence on the main manifestations of epidemiological process of community-acquired pneumonia was noted in case of selective immunization against pneumococcal infection among 2–5 year olds, belonging to high risk groups (vaccination volume 10 417.08 per 100 thousand children under 6).

Conclusions. The strategy of mass vaccination of children of the first year of life was characterized by the greatest epidemiological and economic benefits. Economic efficiency taking into account vaccination costs in terms of 1000 of vaccinated children was 17.1 times higher and was equal to 8.3656 mln rub per 1000 inhabitants versus 0.4890 mln rub in case of selective immunization of high risk group children.