The International Neonatal and Maternal Immunization Symposium is held annually in Turkey. They are focused on education and research in the development of the immune system in neonates and in the role that immunization of their mothers plays in that. The symposium was first held in 2009 and again in March of 2010. It will continue into the future as developments continue forward in the health of mothers and infants. The Turkish Pediatric Infectious Disease Society endorses the symposium along with European Society of Pediatric Infectious Disease and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease.
The goal of the first Immunization Symposium was to increase knowledge of the neonate immune system in order to protect the health of the infant as early as possible and how immunizing mothers could play a role in this. It included classes about infant immunity, vaccine use in infancy, adolescent vaccine use, and immunizations during pregnancy. Neonatal response to maternal immunizations and potential for infection in newborns was also a topic of conversation. Individual vaccines were also discussed such as hepatitis, HPV, pneumococcal vaccines, rotavirus, influenza, HiB, TB, and the development of new vaccines.
The first Immunization Symposium was very focused on the basics of neonatal and maternal immunization and immunity. But it did not leave out the excitement of the future of immunizations and research in the field. New immunizations are being studied all the time. It is one of the noblest pursuits of medicine to prevent serious illnesses in childhood. But they require extensive testing for safety. Two new such vaccines were discussed in the November 2009 meeting. Unfortunately, infant death continues to be a big problem all over the world. It is something that could be decreased significantly with immunization of the mothers and more thorough childhood immunizations.
The Immunization Symposium included submissions about how vaccines are being used in this context the world over. In Vietnam, for instance, medical providers are working on eradicating tetanus from neonates and mothers. There was also wisdom and lessons learned from Taiwan where the effort was to immunize for Hepatitis B. In the coming years, the symposium will continue to improve itself and the hope in the world for an immunized population of mothers and their infants. The science marches on and the political and humanitarian reach continues to grow. In the future perhaps every child can enjoy the benefit of a healthier beginning.