The Global Threat of Vaccine-Preventable Neurological Diseases

Kiran Thakur, MD, Herbert Irving Associate Professor of Neurology and founding director of the Program for Neuroinfectious Diseases at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, led a comprehensive review in Nature Reviews Neurology examining the neurological consequences of declining vaccination rates worldwide.

The authors describe how reduced immunization coverage has contributed to the resurgence of infections such as measles, poliomyelitis, community-acquired bacterial meningitis, and Japanese encephalitis, many of which carry serious neurological risks. Drawing on historical and epidemiological data, the review links falling vaccination rates to factors including vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, COVID-19–related disruptions, climate-related crises, and geopolitical instability.

The article highlights both acute and long-term neurological complications, including encephalitis, paralysis, and cognitive impairment, as well as ongoing barriers to vaccine access for vulnerable populations. Dr. Thakur and colleagues conclude by emphasizing the need for coordinated global efforts to strengthen immunization programs and prevent further resurgence of vaccine-preventable neurological disease. [read more]

Source: Nature Reviews Neurology