Because I notice that knowledge about diseases is rather poor, it needs a little refresh. Well let's start, let's see a bit why we vaccinate in Slovenia for everything.
FIRST YEAR OF AGE
3 months
diphtheria (D), tetanus (T), whooping cough (P), haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), polio
(IPV) (1st dose DTPHibIPV), pneumococcal infections (1st dose PCV)
4 to 5 months
diphtheria (D), tetanus (T), whooping cough (P), haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), polio
(IPV) (2nd dose DTPHibIPV)
6 months
diphtheria (D), tetanus (T), whooping cough (P), haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), polio
(IPV) (3rd dose DTPHibIPV), pneumococcal infections (2nd dose PCV)
SECOND YEAR OF AGE
12 to 18 months
measles (O), mumps (M), rubella (R) (1st dose MMR), pneumococcal infections
(3rd dose PCV)
12 to 24 months
diphtheria (D), tetanus (T), whooping cough (P), haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), polio
(IPV) (4th dose - booster DTPHibIPV)
BEFORE ENTERING SCHOOL
5 to 6 years
measles (O), mumps (M), rubella (R) (2nd dose MMR) and hepatitis B (1st and 2nd dose
HBV)
SCHOOL PERIOD
1st grade elementary
hepatitis B (3rd dose HBV)
3rd grade elementary
diphtheria (D), tetanus (T), whooping cough (P) (5th dose - booster DTP)
6th grade elementary
human papillomavirus infections (HPV) (1st and 2nd dose)
during systematic
check in high school tetanus (T) (6th dose - booster T)
In Slovenia besides mandatory vaccination of preschool and school children, there are also other
vaccinations, namely against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis A and B, tick-borne
encephalitis, rabies, yellow fever, typhoid, haemophilus influenzae type b infections,
pneumococcal and meningococcal infections, polio, chickenpox, herpes zoster, flu,
human papillomavirus infections (HPV) and against rotavirus infections.
DIPHTHERIA
In Slovenia after 1967 we no longer recorded a case of diphtheria. The favorable epidemiological situation is attributed to vaccination, which was introduced as early as 1937. Despite
this, there is still a probability that the diphtheria pathogen is found in the throat, but
due to high vaccination coverage of the population, it is currently unlikely that the disease would spread.
In addition to mandatory childhood vaccination against diphtheria, this vaccination is mandatory by program for all
adults who may be exposed to infection risk, upon epidemiological indication set by NIJZ.
Vaccination against diphtheria is also done for persons/employees who travel on duty to
endemic areas (e.g. soldiers, businessmen...) and for employees who in laboratory work
may be exposed to the diphtheria bacillus.
Vaccination against diphtheria is mandatory also for travelers who have not been vaccinated or were vaccinated
incompletely or more than
ten years have passed since the last dose of complete vaccination or booster and they travel to areas where there is a diphtheria epidemic.
Vaccination is done with combined vaccine against diphtheria and tetanus or with combined
vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (trivalent vaccine is used in
adults as booster dose only once and not for basic vaccination).
TETANUS
Results of systematic vaccination against tetanus, which started in 1951, are good, as for many
years we have not recorded neonatal tetanus or tetanus in children. The problem is
vaccination of the elderly, so among them we recorded individual cases of tetanus every year. In
2018 we recorded two cases of tetanus in Slovenia.
In addition to vaccination of children and youth, pre-exposure vaccination
of adults is mandatory in Slovenia. Basic vaccination is done for persons who have not been vaccinated. Booster doses
are needed by program in adults every ten years.
Post-exposure vaccination is carried out in case of tetanus-prone wound in injuries.
WHOOPING COUGH
Whooping cough is a disease of children and adults and also occurs in outbreaks. The highest
mortality and most severe course of the disease is in children under 6 months. Lately the
disease often occurs also in adolescents and adults, who can be a source of infection for the most
endangered group of children. In Slovenia we still record cases of this disease every year, but the number of cases after the start of systematic vaccination of children against whooping cough in 1959 has strongly decreased.
According to the vaccination program and protection with medicines, mandatory vaccination of children against
whooping cough is carried out in Slovenia. In addition, vaccination against whooping cough for
adults is recommended upon medical indication (after hematopoietic stem cell transplant) and epidemiological
indication. Vaccination against whooping cough is at least once recommended for persons who in adulthood have not yet received a booster dose against whooping cough, particularly recommended for pregnant women, as soon as possible after 24th week of pregnancy and specifically with every pregnancy.
MEASLES, MUMPS AND RUBELLA
To achieve elimination of measles in Europe, which is the goal of the World Health Organization, it is
essential to maintain a high proportion of vaccinated, otherwise there is a possibility of rapid spread of measles
in case of importation of the disease into the country and reappearance of endogenous transmission of measles. In
recent years the estimated proportion of vaccinated preschoolers in Slovenia is decreasing and we no longer
achieve 95% vaccination coverage, which still provides herd immunity. Therefore upon
appearance of measles it is important to actively search for unvaccinated or vaccinated with only one
dose and vaccinate as soon as possible. For complete vaccination two doses of vaccine are needed.
According to the Vaccination Program and protection with medicines children receive the first
dose in the second year of age, the second before entering school, namely combined vaccine against measles,
rubella and mumps.
POLIO
Under the leadership of the World Health Organization, a global world campaign is underway
to eradicate polio. Since its beginning, the number of cases worldwide
has decreased by more than 99%. Polio thus remains endemic only in a few countries in the
world. Although the World Health Organization declared elimination of polio in Europe on 21.6.2002, systematic vaccination against this disease will be needed until the disease is eradicated worldwide.
The doctrine of vaccination against polio is changing and more and more countries are replacing the use of
live oral vaccine with inactivated, parenteral vaccine in various combinations.
Also in Slovenia since 2003 we use inactivated polio vaccine. The last
nine cases of polio were recorded in Slovenia in 1978.
TYPHOID
The vaccination and protection with medicines program defines that vaccination against typhoid is mandatory for
persons living in the same household with a typhoid carrier and also for persons who
have an epidemiological indication for vaccination.
Vaccination against typhoid is done for employees who in their work may come into contact with
human feces and municipal waste (e.g. municipal workers, ...). This also applies to
employees who travel on duty to areas where there is a risk of typhoid infection.
Vaccination against typhoid is recommended for persons traveling to areas where due to
epidemiological situation there is a risk of infection with the typhoid pathogen.
In 2018, 3381 persons were vaccinated against typhoid in Slovenia, in 2017 2585 persons. Against typhoid most often vaccinate travelers in international traffic, by
age persons aged 19 to 64 years.