Vaccine
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Children aged 6 months through 8 years may require two doses of influenza vaccine for adequate immune response against the disease. However, poor two-dose compliance has been reported in the literature. ⋯ Improved messaging of the two-dose influenza vaccine recommendations is needed for providers and parents. Providers are encouraged to determine a child's eligibility for two doses of influenza vaccine using the child's vaccination history, and to vaccinate children early in the season so that two-dose series are completed before influenza peaks.
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The WHO recommends annual influenza vaccination to prevent influenza illness in high-risk groups. Little is known about national influenza immunization policies globally. ⋯ The 2014 revision of the JRF permitted a global assessment of national influenza immunization policies. The 59% of countries reporting that they had policies are wealthier, use more new or under-utilized vaccines, and have stronger immunization systems. Addressing disparities in public health resources and strengthening immunization systems may facilitate influenza vaccine introduction and use.
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We examined potential risk factors on vaccine virus shedding and antibody seroresponse to human rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix) in Mexican infants. Two doses of Rotarix were administered to infants during the first two visits for their routine childhood immunization (∼8 and 15weeks of age) in Mexico City. Infant's characteristics and socioeconomic indicators were obtained, including history of long-term feeding practices (exclusively/predominantly breastfed and exclusively/predominantly non-breastfed). ⋯ Infants who shed vaccine virus post dose 1 had significantly higher serum IgA GMT than those who did not shed [425 (188-965) vs. 150 (84-266), p=0.038]. Breastfeeding was linked with the reduction of both stool vaccine shedding, and IgA seroresponse. The reduced rotavirus replication in the gut and shedding after dose 1 may explain in part the lower IgA response in serum.
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Multicenter Study
Safety and immunogenicity of a booster dose of meningococcal (groups A, C, W, and Y) polysaccharide diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine.
Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MenACWY) were developed to offer long-term protection against invasive disease caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y. Reduced MenACWY effectiveness within 5 years after primary vaccination (likely due to declining bactericidal antibody titers) has been described, particularly with respect to C and Y disease in the United States. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a single booster dose of quadrivalent meningococcal polysaccharide diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine (MenACWY-D) in adolescents and adults who received a previous dose 4-6 years earlier. ⋯ Booster vaccination with MenACWY-D was safe and induced robust bactericidal antibody responses, consistent with immune memory, among adolescents and adults 4-6 years after primary vaccination. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT01442675.
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Vaccination with Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) protects infants against childhood tuberculosis however the immune mechanisms involved are not well understood. Further elucidation of the infant immune response to BCG will aid with the identification of immune correlates of protection against tuberculosis and with the design of new improved vaccines. The purpose of this study was to investigate BCG-induced CD4+ T-cell responses in blood samples from infants for cytokine secretion profiles thought to be important for protection against tuberculosis and compare these to PBMC-mediated in vitro mycobacterial growth inhibition. ⋯ These data suggest that BCG vaccination of infants induces specific polyfunctional T-helper-1 and T-helper-17 responses and the ability, in the PBMC compartment, to inhibit the growth of mycobacteria in vitro. We also demonstrate that polyfunctional T-helper-1 cells may play a role in growth inhibition as evidenced by a significant correlation between the two.