Changes in Post-Transplant Vaccine Coverage After Implementing Structured Vaccine Reviews in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in British Columbia, Canada: A Canadian Immunization Research Network Study.
8 affiliations
- 1Vaccine Evaluation Center, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- 2Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- 3Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- 4Women's and Children's Health Research Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- 5Faculty of Nursing and School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- 6Department of Pediatrics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
- 7School of Medicine, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
- 8Patient Representative, Vancouver, Canada.
Abstract
Background
Children with solid organ transplants (SOT) are at increased risk of infections but may be under-vaccinated. In 2021, our center implemented structured post-SOT vaccine reviews. We conducted a single-center, pre-post observational study with a repeated cross-sectional design to assess changes in vaccine coverage from 2020 to 2024.Methods
We performed a chart review of SOT recipients aged 2-18 years who were ≥ 1 year post-transplant and followed at our clinic on March 1, 2020, and/or March 1, 2024. Patients eligible at both time points (repeat participants) were included in both cohorts; those eligible once (single-time-point participants) were included in the respective cohort. We assessed individual and overall vaccine coverage, defined as receipt of all recommended non-live, non-seasonal vaccines. Comparisons used the chi-square and paired McNemar's test (two-sided p < 0.05).Results
Overall vaccine coverage increased from 33% in 2020 to 51% in 2024. The most prominent changes were observed for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPV23) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, with significant improvements among both single-time-point (PPV23: 58%-88%, p < 0.001; HPV: 32%-81%, p = 0.003) and repeat participants (PPV23: 52%-76%, p = 0.008; HPV: 20%-53%, p = 0.008). Overall vaccine coverage among patients transplanted at age < 2 years was significantly lower compared to older children in 2020 but not in 2024.Conclusions
Structured post-transplant vaccine reviews were associated with an increase in coverage across most vaccines and all organ subgroups, supporting its integration into routine post-transplant care and prospective, multicenter evaluation.
Related
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- Virologic and Exploratory Immunologic Characterization of Relapsing Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNAemia in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study
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BibTeX
@article{barbey2026changes,
title = {{Changes in Post-Transplant Vaccine Coverage After Implementing Structured Vaccine Reviews in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in British Columbia, Canada: A Canadian Immunization Research Network Study.}},
author = {Florence Anne Barbey and Manish Sadarangani and Catherine Burton and Simon Urschel and Shannon E MacDonald and Athena McConnell and Estelle Morin and Kevin Meesters and Tom Blydt-Hansen and Elaine Yong and Hana Mitchell and Special Immunization Clinic Network Investigators},
journal = {Pediatric transplantation},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1111/petr.70508},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42957987},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Changes in Post-Transplant Vaccine Coverage After Implementing Structured Vaccine Reviews in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in British Columbia, Canada: A Canadian Immunization Research Network Study.
AU - Florence Anne Barbey
AU - Manish Sadarangani
AU - Catherine Burton
AU - Simon Urschel
AU - Shannon E MacDonald
AU - Athena McConnell
AU - Estelle Morin
AU - Kevin Meesters
AU - Tom Blydt-Hansen
AU - Elaine Yong
AU - Hana Mitchell
AU - Special Immunization Clinic Network Investigators
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Pediatric transplantation
DO - 10.1111/petr.70508
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42957987
AB - Background Children with solid organ transplants (SOT) are at increased risk of infections but may be under-vaccinated. In 2021, our center implemented structured post-SOT vaccine reviews. We conducted a single-center, pre-post observational study with a repeated cross-sectional design to assess changes in vaccine coverage from 2020 to 2024.Methods We performed a chart review of SOT recipients aged 2-18 years who were ≥ 1 year post-transplant and followed at our clinic on March 1, 2020, and/or March 1, 2024. Patients eligible at both time points (repeat participants) were included in both cohorts; those eligible once (single-time-point participants) were included in the respective cohort. We assessed individual and overall vaccine coverage, defined as receipt of all recommended non-live, non-seasonal vaccines. Comparisons used the chi-square and paired McNemar's test (two-sided p < 0.05).Results Overall vaccine coverage increased from 33% in 2020 to 51% in 2024. The most prominent changes were observed for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPV23) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, with significant improvements among both single-time-point (PPV23: 58%-88%, p < 0.001; HPV: 32%-81%, p = 0.003) and repeat participants (PPV23: 52%-76%, p = 0.008; HPV: 20%-53%, p = 0.008). Overall vaccine coverage among patients transplanted at age < 2 years was significantly lower compared to older children in 2020 but not in 2024.Conclusions Structured post-transplant vaccine reviews were associated with an increase in coverage across most vaccines and all organ subgroups, supporting its integration into routine post-transplant care and prospective, multicenter evaluation.
SN - 1397-3142
SN - 1399-3046
ER -