Vaccination

Safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of GSK Biologicals' hexavalent DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib vaccine (Infanrix)hexa) was assessed when used for primary vaccination at 3, 4 and 5 months of age (N = 2163), compared to the separate administration of DTPa-IPV/Hib and HBV vaccines (N = 720). A similar safety and reactogenicity profile was demonstrated for both vaccine regimens, as well as a good immune response for all antigen components. By offering protection against six diseases in a series of single injections, the hexavalent DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib vaccine was shown to be a safe, well tolerated and immunogenic alternative to primary immunization with licensed separately administered vaccines.

SARS-CoV-2 infects children far less frequently than adults and when infected, children experience no or benign symptoms. Children further do not transmit the virus in any meaningful way. Despite these facts, many public health authorities recommend that all children above the age of 12 get vaccinated to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2. As a result, many schools, colleges, and universities require proof of vaccination for students to attend class, essentially coercing students to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The rationale presented by public health officials for recommending COVID-19 vaccination for children is threefold: a) To keep children from contracting COVID-19 and becoming seriously ill. b) To stop children from transmitting SARS-COV-2 to each other, teachers, parents and grandparents. c) It is needed to reach herd immunity. Consequently, this research investigates whether these hypotheses are correct and supported by the science and empirical data. If the principal points of departure are flawed, it follows that a policy to vaccinate children against COVID-19 would be irrational. The four main biomedical ethical principles, that is beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, are defined and explained to provide a universal, moral analytical framework that are that can aid public health policymakers in making morally and ethically sound decisions. The four main ethical principles are then applied to the policy and practice to coerce young people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

ObjectivesOur aim was to evaluate systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses after BNT162b2 vaccination.MethodsIn this prospective study, disease activity and clinical assessments were recorded from the first dose of vaccine until day 15 after the second dose in 126 patients with SLE. SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses were measured against wild-type spike antigen, while serum-neutralising activity was assessed against the SARS-CoV-2 historical strain and variants of concerns (VOCs). Vaccine-specific T cell responses were quantified by interferon-γ release assay after the second dose.ResultsBNT162b2 was well tolerated and no statistically significant variations of BILAG (British Isles Lupus Assessment Group) and SLEDAI (SLE Disease Activity Index) scores were observed throughout the study in patients with SLE with active and inactive disease at baseline. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and methotrexate (MTX) treatments were associated with dr...

Delayed vaccination against childhood diseases may lead to increased mortality and morbidity among children and also affect the fraction of vaccinated population necessary for elimination of a disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of the delay in vaccinations in four countries belonging to Commonwealth of Independent States and to assess how the timeliness of vaccination affects the vaccination coverage. The fraction of children vaccinated with delay was substantial in all the studied countries, and the impact of differences between countries was stronger than individual risk factors assessed in this study. In presence of vaccination delay, up-to-date vaccination is a biased estimator of the fraction of vaccinated population. Age-appropriate vaccination should be taken into account when assessing vaccination coverage.

Despite the existence of long-standing, well-organized programs for Rh immune globulin (RhIG) prophylaxis, immune anti-D continues to be detected in the D– perinatal population. Between 2006 and 2008, 91 prenatal patients, found to have a previously unidentified anti-D, were followed up with a survey to their treating physician and with additional serologic testing where possible. The physician survey requested pregnancy and RhIG history information, including recent or distant potential alloimmunizing events, and the physicians were asked their opinion on the likely cause for the anti-D. Based on survey responses, updated RhIG information, and results of follow-up serology, anti-D was determined to be attributable to previously unreported RhIG in 44 of 91 (48.3%) cases and to active immunization (immune anti-D) in 36 of 91 cases (39.6%). A probable cause for alloimmunization was reported in 14 of 52 (26.9%) returned surveys. Anti-D alloimmunization continues to occur in our prenata...

Zuerst einmal nicht schaden,» heisst es im hippokratischen Eid. Patienten nicht zu schaden, das bedeutet im Selbstverständnis vieler medizinischer Fachpersonen, sich und andere vor ansteckenden Krankheiten zu schützen - und sich impfen zu lassen. In der Regel baut unser Gesundheitswesen auf freiwillige Impfbereitschaft. Nachdem nun aber Grossbritannien, Italien, Frankreich und Griechenland eine Impfpflicht für das Gesundheitspersonal eingeführt haben, wird über die Verhältnismässigkeit eines Obligatoriums auch hierzulande diskutiert.

In Uganda, malnutrition level has persistently remained high among the under-fives and this has led NGOs like World Vision, Uganda into finding innovative ways for intervention. This paper presents an assessment of nutrition status and values of related indicators at onset of a community intervention program in four sub-counties of Mpigi district in Central Uganda. This was a cross-sectional study to provide baseline information for a nutrition intervention. The study units were index children aged 6-59 months from 818 households. Face to face interviews were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires. Values of key indicators were computed and compared between designated control and intervention areas. Stunting level was 32% while wasting was 3% and underweight at 10%. Most of the index children (78%) started breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. Nearly a third of the households visited had a kitchen garden and this did not differ by intervention status. Like at regiona...

The aim of this study was to find out how efficiently pigs that are vaccinated with an attenuated porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) vaccine based on a virus from the Lelystad cluster are protected against a European wild-type strain from the same or another genetic cluster. Two experiments were performed. In each experiment, 5-week-old PRRSV-seronegative pigs were vaccinated intramuscularly with 104.5 TCID50 of a commercial vaccine based on a European virus strain from the Lelystad cluster. Non-vaccinated pigs were included as controls. At 5, 9, 15, 20, 28, 35 and 42 days post vaccination (PV), broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluids and blood were collected to determine vaccine virus quantities. Forty-nine days PV, pigs were challenged intranasally with 106.0 TCID50 of a European wild-type strain, belonging either to the Lelystad cluster (98% nucleotide identity in ORF5 with vaccine strain) (experiment A) or to an Italian cluster (84% nucleotide identity in ORF5 with vaccine strain) (experiment B). At 5, 9, 15, 20 and 27 days post challenge (PC), BAL fluids and blood were collected to determine virus quantities. Vaccine virus was first detected in BAL fluids and blood at 5 days PV and reached highest quantities between 9 and 15 days PV. One pig was positive in its BAL fluid until 42 days PV. After challenge, virus was isolated from BAL fluids and blood of all non-vaccinated control pigs. All vaccinated pigs challenged with the Lelystad strain remained negative for virus, while virus was present in BAL fluids and blood of all vaccinated pigs after challenge with the Italian strain. Mean virus titres of the vaccinated pigs challenged with the Italian strain were significantly lower than those of the non-vaccinated control pigs (P < 0.05) at 9, 15 and 20 days PC. Thus, the genetic diversity within European-type PRRSV may affect the efficacy of the current European-type vaccines.

Background Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18–49, 50–69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst ...

The fact that internet companies may record our personal data and track our online behavior for commercial or political purpose has emphasized aspects related to online privacy. This has also led to the development of search engines that promise no tracking and privacy. Search engines also have a major role in spreading low-quality health information such as that of anti-vaccine websites. This study investigates the relationship between search engines&#39; approach to privacy and the scientific quality of the information they return. We analyzed the first 30 webpages returned searching &#39;vaccines autism&#39; in English, Spanish, Italian and French. The results show that alternative search engines (Duckduckgo, Ecosia, Qwant, Swisscows and Mojeek) may return more anti-vaccine pages (10 to 53 percent) than this http URL (zero). Some localized versions of Google, however, returned more anti-vaccine webpages (up to 10 percent) than this http URL. Our study suggests that designing a se...

In India, nearly one million children die before their fifth birthday. About one of every four of these deaths are caused by pneumonia and diarrhoea, two leading infectious causes of child deaths worldwide, even though many of them can be saved by interventions such as breastfeeding, immunisation, and access to treatment. Recently, India took steps to increase access to interventions such as immunisation through schemes like Mission Indradhanush and the introduction of new vaccines, including the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and rotavirus vaccine (RVV). Despite progress, however, infectious diseases continue to contribute to a significant proportion of child mortality
and morbidity in India. Some of the new challenges to achieving full
immunisation coverage are increasing costs, and misinformation on social media. This special report builds on the key insights shared in a panel discussion on the subject, organised by ORF with the International Vaccine Access Center and Global Health Strategies.

Background In 2002, a poster alerted the French health authorities to the possibility that the risk of childhood leukaemia might be increased by hepatitis B vaccination. Elucidating the role of vaccination in the aetiology of childhood acute leukaemia (AL) was therefore included in the objectives of an ongoing national study. Methods The ESCALE study was a French national population-based case-control

A chronic progressive neurologic disease was observed and monitored for 18 months in a young, tamed Bengal tiger. Clinical, serologic, and neuropathologic evidence of canine distemper virus infection was seen. Clinical signs included convulsions, myoclonus, and slowly progressive ataxia. Marked increases in neutralizing antibodies against canine distemper virus were seen in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Neuropathologic findings were nonsuppurative meningoencephalomyelitis, with perivascular cuffing, demyelination, and inclusion bodies typical of canine distemper virus. It was concluded that, in light of this case and an earlier report of canine distemper in lion cubs, vaccination of this subgroup of carnivores with a killed vaccine may be beneficial if exposure to other animals susceptible to canine distemper is anticipated.

To gain insight into parents&#39; decision-making process, and their reasons for participation in the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme in the Twente region, the Netherlands. Cross-sectional study by means of a questionnaire. After the first vaccination round, a questionnaire was sent to the parents of 800 13-year-old girls, born in the year 1996 and living in the Twente region. Data were collected on the socio-demographic characteristics of the parents, their daughters&#39; participation in the HPV vaccination programme (in which 13-15-year-olds were offered the vaccine previously offered only to 12-year-olds), and four determinants derived from the Health Belief Model (HBM): perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers. 371 questionnaires were returned (response rate 46%). 39% of the parents had had their daughters vaccinated. The main reasons for parents to decide not to participate in the vaccination programme were perceived dangers of the vaccine, t...

Physicians have a major influence on parental vaccine decisions. We tested a physician-targeted communication intervention designed to (1) reduce vaccine hesitancy in mothers of infants seen by trained physicians and (2) increase physician confidence in communicating about vaccines. We conducted a community-based, clinic-level, 2-arm cluster randomized trial in Washington State. Intervention clinics received physician-targeted communications training. We enrolled mothers of healthy newborns from these clinics at the hospital of birth. Mothers and physicians were surveyed at baseline and 6 months. The primary outcome was maternal vaccine hesitancy measured by Parental Attitudes on Childhood Vaccines score; secondary outcome was physician self-efficacy in communicating with parents by using 3 vaccine communication domains. We enrolled 56 clinics and 347 mothers. We conducted intervention trainings at 30 clinics, reaching 67% of eligible physicians; 26 clinics were randomized to the co...

BACKGROUND Pain during painful procedures in neonates has far reaching consequences. In developed countries many non-pharmacological interventions are used for neonatal pain reduction. Breast feeding has been proved to be an effective analgesic during mild to moderate painful procedures in neonates. METHODS The study, randomized controlled trial was conducted in CMH, Quetta. The study period extended from June to November 2015. Neonates included in the experimental group were breastfeed during BCG vaccination and neonates in the control group were provided with routine care. Duration of cry with needle insertion was recorded with a digital stopwatch till the baby is silent for more than 5 seconds. RESULTS The mean crying duration in experimental group was significantly less than control group. In experimental group mean crying duration was 16.48s (12.76) whereas in control group mean crying duration was 34.93 s(45.26). Statistically significant difference was observed between the me...