Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - Vaccination activity in Italy and the rest of the world has allowed the eradication of smallpox and control of diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough and other infectious pathologies. Nevertheless there exist rare cases of children who risk adverse reaction to vaccination because of chronic pathologies or confirmed allergy or immune deficiency.
To solve this problem the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital has opened a new Immunisation Centre for children at risk. The hospital, an international point of reference, can now respond with ad hoc protocol, developed in the hospital or used at the international level to the need to guarantee every child the right to be protected from infective diseases.
Today the children requiring vaccination at a special centre are between 1 and 5% of the infantile population, a percentage which various according to the grade of the culture of vaccination on the territory. Children “at risk” for which now Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital is a concrete opportunity to avoid infectious diseases are epileptics, immune deficient or with confirmed allergy to certain substances.
In the strict sense there are not other categories “at risk”. There exist clinical conditions which suggest vaccination due to high risk associated with natural disease. In this category includes premature and chronically sick children.
Vaccinations recommended today by the Italian Health Ministry include: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough and other infectious pathologies, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae typo B, chicken pox, mumps, rosolia, pneumococcus and meningococcus. (AP) (13/1/2005 Agenzia Fides; Righe:29; Parole:306)
