Which diseases are prevented by routine childhood vaccines?

Routine Childhood Vaccines and Disease Prevention

Routine childhood immunizations in the United States protect against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases, including diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, varicella, Streptococcus pneumoniae, rotavirus, and influenza. 1

Core Vaccine Series (Birth Through 18 Years)

Vaccines Administered in the First Year of Life

• Hepatitis B vaccine (3-dose series): Protects against hepatitis B virus infection, with the first dose due at birth to prevent maternal-infant transmission and lifelong exposure 2
• DTaP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis): Prevents diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough), with doses at 2,4, and 6 months 2
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine: Protects against invasive Hib disease, administered at 2,4, and 6 months 2
• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV): Prevents invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae 2
• Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV): Protects against poliomyelitis, given at 2,4, and 6 months 2
• Rotavirus vaccine: Prevents severe rotavirus gastroenteritis, with 2-3 doses depending on brand 2
• Influenza vaccine: Annual protection against seasonal influenza, starting at 6 months of age with a 2-dose series for first-time recipients 2

Vaccines Administered in the Second Year of Life

• MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella): Two-dose series starting at 12-15 months protects against measles, mumps, and rubella 3
• Varicella vaccine: Two-dose series beginning at 12-15 months prevents chickenpox 3
• Hepatitis A vaccine: Two-dose series initiated in the second year of life protects against hepatitis A virus 3
• Fourth dose of DTaP: Booster dose administered at 15-18 months 3
• Completion of Hib and PCV series: Final doses given at 12-15 months 3

Vaccines Administered at 4-6 Years

• Fifth dose of DTaP: Final dose of the childhood diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis series 3
• Fourth dose of IPV: Completes the poliovirus vaccine series 3

Vaccines Administered at 11-12 Years (Adolescent Series)

• Tdap vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis): Adolescent/adult formulation booster dose 1, 3
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine: Two-dose series protects against HPV-related cancers and genital warts 3
• Meningococcal ACWY conjugate vaccine (MenACWY): Two-dose series prevents invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y 3

Disease Prevention Impact

Routine childhood immunization has reduced disease incidence by 17% to 100% across all targeted diseases, with complete elimination (100% reduction) achieved for diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, mumps, polio, and rubella. 4

For the 2019 U.S. population, these reductions prevented more than 24 million cases of vaccine-preventable disease annually 4. Among approximately 117 million children born during 1994-2023, routine childhood vaccinations will prevent approximately 508 million lifetime cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1,129,000 deaths 5.

Additional Vaccines for High-Risk Children

Beyond the routine schedule, certain children require additional vaccines based on specific risk factors 1:

• Hepatitis A vaccine: Recommended for use in selected states and regions 1
• Influenza vaccine: Recommended annually for children with high-risk medical conditions 1
• Additional pneumococcal vaccines: For children at increased risk for invasive pneumococcal infection 1
• Meningococcal vaccines: For children at increased risk for invasive meningococcal infection 1

Simultaneous Administration

All vaccines for which a child is eligible should be administered simultaneously during the same visit at separate anatomic sites, as this increases the probability that children will be fully immunized at the appropriate age. 1

Approximately one-third of measles cases among unvaccinated but vaccine-eligible preschool children could have been prevented if MMR had been administered at the same visit when another vaccine was given 1. Simultaneously administering the most widely used live and inactivated vaccines produces seroconversion rates and adverse reaction rates similar to those observed when vaccines are administered separately 1.