Bongiovanni Andrea, Santolini Giulia, Vairo Francesco, Corea Francesco, Aquilani Silvia, de Waure Chiara
Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority of Viterbo, Via Enrico Fermi 15, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Lazzaro Spallanzani", Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico-IRCCS, Via Portuense 292, 00149 Rome, Italy.
Vaccines (Basel). 2025 Jul 30;13(8):807. doi: 10.3390/vaccines13080807.
Pneumococcal disease is a significant health burden, particularly among older adults and individuals with chronic conditions. Sequential pneumococcal vaccination (PCV13 followed by PPSV23) has been recommended in Italy since 2017 for its demonstrated efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Nevertheless, limited data are available on the sequential pneumococcal vaccination coverage in Italy. This study aimed to evaluate the coverage and trends of sequential pneumococcal vaccination among individuals who turned 65 years old within the Viterbo Local Health Authority between 2018 and 2023.
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Regional Vaccination Registry (AVR), a comprehensive digital vaccination dataset. Vaccination coverage was calculated based on individuals completing the sequential pneumococcal vaccination within two years after turning 65 years old. Trends as well as subgroup variations based on sex, citizenship, district of residence, and municipality size were analyzed.
Among 27,657 individuals who turned 65 years of age during the study period, only 2.32% completed the sequential pneumococcal vaccination. Coverage increased steadily from 2018 (0.60%) to a peak in 2020 (3.27%), followed by a plateau and a decline in 2023 (2.53%). Coverage varied across demographic and geographic subgroups: females (2.58%) had higher coverage than males (2.04%), Italian citizens (2.45%) exceeded foreign residents (0.64%), and residents in District C (3.03%) led over District A (1.08%). Smaller municipalities (≤10,000 inhabitants) showed higher coverage (2.52%) than larger ones (1.98%).
Adherence to sequential pneumococcal vaccination has been very low throughout the considered study period. This is highly relevant information to consider in the view of new available pneumococcal vaccines for immunization of the elderly. Furthermore, geographic and demographic differences highlight the need for targeted public health interventions.
肺炎球菌疾病是一项重大的健康负担，在老年人和患有慢性病的个体中尤为突出。自2017年起，意大利就推荐采用序贯肺炎球菌疫苗接种（先接种PCV13，随后接种PPSV23），因为其在预防侵袭性肺炎球菌疾病（IPD）方面已证明具有疗效、安全性和成本效益。然而，关于意大利序贯肺炎球菌疫苗接种覆盖率的数据有限。本研究旨在评估2018年至2023年期间在维泰博地方卫生当局辖区内年满65岁的人群中序贯肺炎球菌疫苗接种的覆盖率及趋势。
利用区域疫苗接种登记处（AVR）的数据进行了一项回顾性队列研究，该登记处是一个全面的数字疫苗接种数据集。疫苗接种覆盖率是根据在年满65岁后两年内完成序贯肺炎球菌疫苗接种的个体计算得出的。分析了趋势以及基于性别、公民身份、居住地区和市镇规模的亚组差异。
在研究期间年满65岁 的27,657名个体中，只有2.32%完成了序贯肺炎球菌疫苗接种。覆盖率从2018年（0.60%）稳步上升至2020年的峰值（3.27%），随后保持平稳，2023年有所下降（2.53%）。覆盖率在不同人口统计学和地理亚组中存在差异：女性（2.58%）的覆盖率高于男性（2.04%），意大利公民（2.45%）超过外国居民（0.64%），C区居民（3.03%）高于A区居民（1.08%）。较小的市镇（居民人数≤10,000）的覆盖率（2.52%）高于较大的市镇（1.98%）。
在整个研究期间，序贯肺炎球菌疫苗接种的依从性一直很低。鉴于有新的肺炎球菌疫苗可用于老年人免疫，这是需要考虑的高度相关信息。此外，地理和人口统计学差异凸显了有针对性的公共卫生干预措施的必要性。
