Enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in Europe: a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the future
Introduction Influenza causes considerable morbidity and mortality in Europe, particularly among older adults due to comorbidities, as well as immunosenescence and inflammaging, which contribute to a diminished immune response. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent poor outcomes; how...
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Expert Review of Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14760584.2025.2499728 |
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| author | Gaëtan Gavazzi Bertrand Fougère Olivier Hanon Isabel Leroux-Roels Etienne Brochot Elodie Blanchard Colin A Russell Marc Paccalin Tino F Schwarz |
| author_facet | Gaëtan Gavazzi Bertrand Fougère Olivier Hanon Isabel Leroux-Roels Etienne Brochot Elodie Blanchard Colin A Russell Marc Paccalin Tino F Schwarz |
| author_sort | Gaëtan Gavazzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Influenza causes considerable morbidity and mortality in Europe, particularly among older adults due to comorbidities, as well as immunosenescence and inflammaging, which contribute to a diminished immune response. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent poor outcomes; however, uptake is suboptimal and many countries recommend standard vaccines despite evidence supporting better protection with enhanced (adjuvanted and high-dose) vaccines.Areas covered A multidisciplinary group of experts reviewed the burden of influenza in Europe and evaluated data on enhanced vaccines, providing recommendations for their use in older adults. The group discussed barriers to vaccination and strategies to increase uptake.Expert opinion Improving protection of older adults against influenza relies upon increasing vaccine uptake and ensuring access to vaccines that overcome age-related immunological decline. Achieving higher uptake requires national policies that facilitate equitable access and clear communication about vaccine eligibility. Based on available evidence, enhanced vaccines offer better protection than standard vaccines against hospitalization and complications in older adults. National recommendations should prioritize the use of enhanced influenza vaccines over standard vaccines in older adults. Limitations to interpretation of evidence include discrepancies in reporting of influenza-related medical encounters and underreporting of influenza-related complications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cce789b5c50b4edd8f7f33baa37a344e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1476-0584 1744-8395 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Expert Review of Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj-art-cce789b5c50b4edd8f7f33baa37a344e2025-08-20T02:28:28ZengTaylor & Francis GroupExpert Review of Vaccines1476-05841744-83952025-12-0124135036410.1080/14760584.2025.2499728Enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in Europe: a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the futureGaëtan Gavazzi0Bertrand Fougère1Olivier Hanon2Isabel Leroux-Roels3Etienne Brochot4Elodie Blanchard5Colin A Russell6Marc Paccalin7Tino F Schwarz8CHU Grenoble Alpes, B - Hôpital Nord, Av. des Maquis du Grésivaudan Service Universitaire de Gériatrie Clinique, La Tronche, Grenoble, FranceDivision of Geriatric Medicine, Tours University Hospital, Tours, FranceDepartment of Geriatrics, University Paris Cité UMR-S 1144, ParisCenter for Vaccinology, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Virology, Amiens University Medical Center, Amiens, FrancePulmonology Department, CHU de Bordeaux, Pessac, FranceDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NetherlandsGeriatrics Department, CHU Poitiers, Poitiers, FranceInstitute of Laboratory Medicine and Vaccination Centre, Klinikum Würzburg Mitte, Würzburg, GermanyIntroduction Influenza causes considerable morbidity and mortality in Europe, particularly among older adults due to comorbidities, as well as immunosenescence and inflammaging, which contribute to a diminished immune response. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent poor outcomes; however, uptake is suboptimal and many countries recommend standard vaccines despite evidence supporting better protection with enhanced (adjuvanted and high-dose) vaccines.Areas covered A multidisciplinary group of experts reviewed the burden of influenza in Europe and evaluated data on enhanced vaccines, providing recommendations for their use in older adults. The group discussed barriers to vaccination and strategies to increase uptake.Expert opinion Improving protection of older adults against influenza relies upon increasing vaccine uptake and ensuring access to vaccines that overcome age-related immunological decline. Achieving higher uptake requires national policies that facilitate equitable access and clear communication about vaccine eligibility. Based on available evidence, enhanced vaccines offer better protection than standard vaccines against hospitalization and complications in older adults. National recommendations should prioritize the use of enhanced influenza vaccines over standard vaccines in older adults. Limitations to interpretation of evidence include discrepancies in reporting of influenza-related medical encounters and underreporting of influenza-related complications.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14760584.2025.2499728Epidemiologypublic healthvaccination policyvaccine coverageadjuvantolder adults |
| spellingShingle | Gaëtan Gavazzi Bertrand Fougère Olivier Hanon Isabel Leroux-Roels Etienne Brochot Elodie Blanchard Colin A Russell Marc Paccalin Tino F Schwarz Enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in Europe: a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the future Expert Review of Vaccines Epidemiology public health vaccination policy vaccine coverage adjuvant older adults |
| title | Enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in Europe: a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the future |
| title_full | Enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in Europe: a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the future |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in Europe: a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the future |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in Europe: a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the future |
| title_short | Enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in Europe: a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the future |
| title_sort | enhanced influenza vaccination for older adults in europe a review of the current situation and expert recommendations for the future |
| topic | Epidemiology public health vaccination policy vaccine coverage adjuvant older adults |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14760584.2025.2499728 |
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