Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics
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When the next pandemic emerges, will we be ready? Experts say that the number of animal to human "species jumps" is bound to increase as populations increase and the speed of travel between continents accelerates. Typical pandemic timelines no longer apply.(1) Pandemic H1N1 traveled the world in just weeks, as did SARS, despite major efforts to contain both outbreaks. The danger of emerging infectious disease to global health is compounded by the potential threat for malevolent bioengineering of existing pathogens and their deliberate dissemination.(2)
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Cholera is a major global public health problem and remains an important threat in almost every developing country, especially in areas where population overcrowding and poor sanitation are common, such as slums and refugee camps. Cholera is one of the most dreaded diseases in the world, in some cases leading to death within 24 h if left untreated. Without treatment, severe infection has a mortality rate of 30-50%. ⋯ This vaccine contains both Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139, and provides 50 per cent protection for at least three years after vaccination. For endemic cholera, population-level immunity is relatively high, making control possible with relatively low vaccine coverage levels. This vaccine should be used in areas where cholera is endemic, particularly in those at risk of outbreaks, in conjunction with other prevention and control strategies.
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Hum Vaccin Immunother · May 2012
Case ReportsMeningococcal polysaccharide vaccine failure in a patient with C7 deficiency and a decreased anti-capsular antibody response.
A 20-y-old male presented with symptoms of meningococcal sepsis and died despite appropriate medical interventions. Blood cultures grew N. meningitidis serogroup Y. ⋯ Complement component C7 was found to be deficient, and antibody levels to meningococcal polysaccharides were undetectable for two serogroups and low for the infecting serogroup 10 mo post-vaccination. This case highlights the fact that some individuals with terminal complement component deficiencies mount an impaired or short-lived response to vaccination with meningococcal capsular polysaccharides, and underscores the appropriateness of a more aggressive vaccination strategy in this patient population.
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Hum Vaccin Immunother · May 2012
Parental views on vaccine safety and future vaccinations of children who experienced an adverse event following routine or seasonal influenza vaccination in 2010.
To assess parental vaccine safety views and future vaccination decisions after an adverse event following immunization (AEFI) experienced by their child. A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted of parents of children aged 0-7 y, identified in AEFI reports submitted to the South Australian Immunization Section, Department Health. The reports included childhood National Immunization Program (NIP), seasonal or pandemic influenza vaccines. ⋯ The AEFI experience did not impact on parental decision to continue with routine childhood NIP schedules, regardless of whether children received influenza or NIP vaccines. In contrast, most parents whose child experienced an AEFI to the 2010 STIV stated decreased confidence in the safety of influenza vaccines, which is likely to have impacted on the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination in 2011. Addressing influenza vaccine safety concerns to promote influenza vaccination in the community is required.
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Hum Vaccin Immunother · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialSuperior immunogenicity of seasonal influenza vaccines containing full dose of MF59 (®) adjuvant: results from a dose-finding clinical trial in older adults.
MF59-adjuvanted influenza vaccines have superior immunogenicity in older adults compared with non-adjuvanted vaccines. We assessed whether changing formulation (i.e., increasing H3N2 antigen or decreasing the quantity of adjuvant) of the licensed, MF59-adjuvanted trivalent influenza subunit vaccine Fluad (®) (Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics) improves the risk-benefit profile in vaccinees aged ≥ 65 years. ⋯ This study confirms that the current formulation is the optimal one for MF59-adjuvanted influenza vaccine for use in older adults.