Pediatric Infectious Disease Epidemiology: Prevention Trumps Treatment

Marietta Vázquez, MD, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and of Nursing at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Vázquez received her BA from Yale University before obtaining her MD from the University of Puerto Rico in 1994. After completing her MD, she returned to Yale for a residency in Pediatrics and a subsequent fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Disease. Dr. Vázquez began as an Associate Research Scientist at Yale School of Medicine, where she worked closely with Dr. Eugene Shapiro, pioneer of the Investigative Medicine Program at Yale. Together, they demonstrated the effectiveness of the pediatric varicella vaccine, approved for use in the United States in 1995, and determined that two doses of the vaccine significantly reduces the chance of contracting varicella when compared with a single dose. In addition to varicella, Dr. Vázquez has also made substantial contributions in understanding the effectiveness of the pneumococcal vaccine. Most recently, her work has focused on understanding viral protection in newborn children through maternal immunization. In this interview, Dr. Vázquez discusses her initial interest in pediatric vaccine epidemiology and how it has developed throughout her career. She addresses the current status of the vaccine field both from a scientific as well as a socioeconomic standpoint. Finally, she comments on the future of vaccine research and infectious disease with specific emphasis on maternal immunization as a novel avenue for viral immune protection among infants.