Insufficient vaccination coverage in children with severe neurological pathology: causes and consequences

Abstract

Children with chronic neurological pathology are at risk for the development of severe infectious diseases, but despite this, there is a poor coverage of preventive vaccinations in this category of children worldwide. For modern vaccine preparations, the presence of severe neurological conditions is not a contraindication to administration. There are only two reasons why vaccination should be postponed or the vaccine drug should be replaced. These are contraindications for the administration of live vaccines to children receiving immunosuppressive therapy, and contraindications for whole-cell pertussis vaccines to children with progressive neurological disease and convulsive syndrome. Studies conducted in different countries of the world prove the good tolerability and safety of vaccination in children with severe neurological pathology. But the use of certain drugs in the treatment of the underlying disease may affect the immunogenicity and effectiveness of vaccination. Currently, there is no generally accepted tactic for vaccinating children with various severe neurological conditions. This fact, as well as outdated attitudes in doctors and parents about the connection of vaccination with the onset of diseases of the nervous system, further increases the number of unvaccinated children. Issues related to the optimal vaccination time for children with severe neurological pathology, the frequency and strategy of vaccine administration still need to be addressed. There is a need to create widely recognized vaccination guidelines for children with severe neurological diseases, considering the nature of the disease, its course, and the therapy received.