Vaccines to prevent respiratory infection: opportunities on the near and far horizon

Illnesses caused by respiratory pathogens result in great loss of life, suffering and commitment of resources for treatment. That the suffering and loss of life can be prevented through immunization has already been clearly shown with existing vaccines, such as those for Haemophilus influenzae type b, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and influenza. The emergence of drug-resistant pathogens is making reliance on therapy more expensive and perhaps less successful, accentuating the need to focus on prevention. Although several effective vaccines to prevent respiratory infections currently exist, they are underutilized globally. Improvements in immunogenicity, efficacy, and ease of administration, and lowering the costs of some of the existing vaccines would augment the potential for prevention worldwide. The greatest opportunities for the prevention of respiratory infections will rest with vaccines that will become available in the future.