Vaccine-preventable haemophilus influenza type B disease burden and cost-effectiveness of infant vaccination in Indonesia

Epidemiology, Nasopharyngeal Carriage, Serotype Prevalence, and Antibiotic Resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Indonesia

In Indonesia, pneumococcal disease represents a considerable public health concern; however, published data on the epidemiology, nasopharyngeal carriage, serotype prevalence, and antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in this region are limited. Therefore, this article reviews the available data from a variety of sources and also summarizes pneumococcal conjugate vaccine implementation and recommendations in Indonesia and subsequent impact on pneumococcal disease. Regional pneumococcal vaccination recommendations in Asia were also reviewed. Studies showed that pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage prevalence in Indonesia was approximately 43% to 55% in healthy children aged less than 5 years, which varied by age group, region, and year. Serotype analysis of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage isolates in Indonesia revealed that 38% to 60% of isolates would be covered by the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). The antimicrobial resistance of pneumococcal disease has increased over time; between 1997 and 2012, resistance to penicillin and sulfamethoxazole increased from 0% to 28% and 9% to 62%, respectively. Inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines into immunization programs is being implemented gradually. In 2017, Indonesia implemented a regional PCV13 immunization program in Lombok with a 2 + 1 vaccination schedule that was expanded in 2018-2019 to West Nusa Tenggara and Bangka Belitung Provinces; this expansion is predicted to substantially reduce the burden of pneumococcal disease in Indonesia. Overall, the limited data available regarding pneumococcal disease in Indonesia highlight the unmet need for comprehensive disease surveillance studies in this region that can help direct vaccination strategies.

Use of Typhoid Vi-Polysaccharide Vaccine as a Vaccine Probe to Delineate Clinical Criteria for Typhoid Fever

Blood cultures (BCs) detect an estimated 50% of typhoid fever cases. There is need for validated clinical criteria to define cases that are BC negative, both to help direct empiric antibiotic treatment and to better evaluate the magnitude of protection conferred by typhoid vaccines. To derive and validate a clinical rule for defining BC-negative typhoid fever, we assessed, in a cluster-randomized effectiveness trial of Vi-polysaccharide (ViPS) typhoid vaccine in Kolkata, India, 14,797 episodes of fever lasting at least 3 days during 4 years of comprehensive, BC-based surveillance of 70,865 persons. A recursive partitioning algorithm was used to develop a decision rule to predict BC-proven typhoid cases with a diagnostic specificity of 97–98%. To validate this rule as a definition for BC-negative typhoid fever, we assessed whether the rule defined culture-negative syndromes prevented by ViPS vaccine. In a training subset of individuals, we identified the following two rules: rule 1: patients aged < 15 years with prolonged fever accompanied by a measured body temperature ≥ 100°F, headache, and nausea; rule 2: patients aged ≥ 15 years with prolonged fever accompanied by nausea and palpable liver but without constipation. The adjusted protective efficacy of ViPS against clinical typhoid defined by these rules in persons aged ≥ 2 years in a separate validation subset was 33% (95% CI: 4–53%). We have defined and validated a clinical rule for predicting BC-negative typhoid fever using a novel vaccine probe approach. If validated in other settings, this rule may be useful to guide clinical care and to enhance typhoid vaccine evaluations.

Poverty reduction and equity benefits of introducing or scaling up measles, rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines in low-income and middle-income countries: a modelling study

Introduction

Beyond their impact on health, vaccines can lead to large economic benefits. While most economic evaluations of vaccines have focused on the health impact of vaccines at a national scale, it is critical to understand how their impact is distributed along population subgroups.

Methods

We build a financial risk protection model to evaluate the impact of immunisation against measles, severe pneumococcal disease and severe rotavirus for birth cohorts vaccinated over 2016-2030 for three scenarios in 41 Gavi-eligible countries: no immunisation, current immunisation coverage forecasts and the current immunisation coverage enhanced with funding support. We distribute modelled disease cases per socioeconomic group and derive the number of cases of: (1) catastrophic health costs (CHCs) and (2) medical impoverishment.

Results

In the absence of any vaccine coverage, the number of CHC cases attributable to measles, severe pneumococcal disease and severe rotavirus would be approximately 18.9 million, 6.6 million and 2.2 million, respectively. Expanding vaccine coverage would reduce this number by up to 90%, 30% and 40% in each case. More importantly, we find a higher share of CHC incidence among the poorest quintiles who consequently benefit more from vaccine expansion.

Conclusion

Our findings contribute to the understanding of how vaccines can have a broad economic impact. In particular, we find that immunisation programmes can reduce the proportion of households facing catastrophic payments from out-of-pocket health expenses, mainly in lower socioeconomic groups. Thus, vaccines could have an important role in poverty reduction.

Economic Evaluation and Budget Impact Analysis of Vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae Type b Infection in Thailand

Current study aimed to estimate clinical and economic outcomes of providing the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination as a national vaccine immunization program in Thailand. A decision tree combined with Markov model was developed to simulate relevant costs and health outcomes covering lifetime horizon in societal and health care payer perspectives. This analysis considered children aged under 5 years old whom preventive vaccine of Hib infection are indicated. Two combined Hib vaccination schedules were considered: three-dose series (3 + 0) and three-dose series plus a booster does (3 + 1) compared with no vaccination. Budget impact analysis was also performed under Thai government perspective. The outcomes were reported as Hib-infected cases averted and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in 2014 Thai baht (THB) ($) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. In base-case scenario, the model estimates that 3,960 infected cases, 59 disability cases, and 97 deaths can be prevented by national Hib vaccination program. The ICER for 3 + 0 schedule was THB 1,099 ($34) per QALY gained under societal perspective. The model was sensitive to pneumonia incidence among aged under 5 years old and direct non-medical care cost per episode of Hib pneumonia. Hib vaccination is very cost-effective in the Thai context. The budget impact analysis showed that Thai government needed to invest an additional budget of 110 ($3.4) million to implement Hib vaccination program. Policy makers should consider our findings for adopting this vaccine into national immunization program.

Economic evaluations of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine: a systematic review

AIMS

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccines, but China and Thailand have not used Hib vaccination in their national immunization programs. This systematic review aimed to update published economic evaluations of Hib vaccinations and to determine factors that potentially affected their cost-effectiveness.

METHODS

Searches were performed from the inception until December 2015 using 13 databases: CAB direct; CEA registry; EconLit; EMBASE; E-library; NHSEED; PAHO; POPLINE; PubMed; Redalyc project; RePEc; SciELO; and WHOLIS. Reference lists of relevant studies and grey literature were also searched. Full economic evaluations of Hib vaccination with results of costs and outcomes were included. The WHO checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. Data from eligible studies were extracted using a standardized data collection form.

RESULTS

Out of 830 articles, 27 were included. Almost half of the studies (12/27) were conducted in high-income countries. Twelve studies (12/27) investigated the Hib vaccine as an addition to the existing vaccination program. Most studies (17/27) examined a 3-dose schedule of Hib vaccine. Nineteen studies (19/27) reported the model used, where all were decision tree models. Most of the studies (23/27) demonstrated an economic value of Hib vaccination programs, key influential parameters being incidence rates of Hib disease and vaccine price.

CONCLUSIONS

Hib vaccination programs are mostly found to be cost-effective across geographic regions and country income levels, and Hib vaccination is recommended for inclusion into all national immunization programs. The findings are expected to support policy-makers for making decisions on allocating limited resources of the Hib vaccination program effectively.

Post-GAVI sustainability of the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine program: The potential role of economic evaluation

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) can cause severe invasive diseases which are, however, preventable by vaccination. To increase access to Hib vaccine, GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance – has provided financial support for 73 lower income countries worldwide. At the same time, GAVI has been implementing its co-financing policy, requiring recipient countries to pay a portion of vaccine costs and to increase this amount over time. Starting in 2016, 5 countries will stop receiving GAVI funding and procure the vaccine themselves. Although the graduating countries have access to the UNICEF/GAVI tendered vaccine price for 5 more years, the uncertainty in market vaccine price may hamper the post-GAVI program sustainability. A possible increase in vaccine price would cause a significant burden on governmental budgets, discouraging countries to continue the program. As a special tool, economic evaluation (EE) can assist decision makers by identifying the maximum affordable vaccine price for countries to pay. Given that only 6 GAVI-eligible countries have such analyses published, more EEs are necessary to strengthen countries' commitment during this transition period. The information will also be useful for manufacturers to determine their pricing policy.

Estimating costs of care for meningitis infections in low- and middle-income countries

Meningitis infections are often associated with high mortality and risk of sequelae. The costs of treatment and care for meningitis are a great burden on health care systems, particularly in resource-limited settings. The objective of this study is to review data on the costs of care for meningitis in low- and middle-income countries, as well as to show how results could be extrapolated to countries without sound data. We conducted a systematic review of the literature from six databases to identify studies examining the cost of care in low- and middle-income countries for all age groups with suspected, probable, or confirmed meningitis. We extracted data on treatment costs and sequelae by infectious agent and/or pathogen, where possible. Using multiple regression analysis, a relationship between hospital costs and associated determinants was investigated in order to predict costs in countries with missing data. This relationship was used to predict treatment costs for all 144 low- and middle-income countries. The methodology of conducting a systematic review, extrapolating, and setting up a standard database can be used as a tool to inform cost-effectiveness analyses in situations where cost of care data are poor. Both acute and long-term costs of meningitis could be extrapolated to countries without reliable data. Although only bacterial causes of meningitis can be vaccine-preventable, a better understanding of the treatment costs for meningitis is crucial for low- and middle-income countries to assess the cost-effectiveness of proposed interventions in their country. This cost information will be important as inputs in future cost-effectiveness studies, particularly for vaccines.

The immunogenicity, safety, and consistency of an Indonesia combined DTP-HB-Hib vaccine in expanded program on immunization schedule

Background

WHO recommended incorporation of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination into immunization program. Indonesia would adopt Hib as a National Immunization Program in 2013. We aimed at analyzing immunogenicity, safety, and consistency of a new combined DTP-HB-Hib (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-Hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenza B) vaccine.

Methods

A prospective, randomized, double blind, multicenter, phase III study of Bio Farma DTP-HB-Hib vaccine conducted in Jakarta and Bandung, August 2012 - January 2013.

Subjects were divided into three groups with different batch number. Healthy infants 6–11 weeks of age at enrollment were immunized with 3 doses of DTP-HB-Hib vaccine with interval of 4 weeks, after birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine. Blood samples obtained prior to vaccination and 28 days after the third dose. Safety measures recorded until 28 days after each dose.

Results

Of 600 subjects, 575 (96 %) completed study protocol. After 3 doses, 100.0 and 96.0 % had anti-PRP concentration ≥0.15 and ≥1.0 μg/ml. Anti-diphtheria and anti-tetanus concentration ≥0.01 IU/ml detected in 99.7 and 100.0 %; while concentration ≥0.1 IU/ml achieved in 84.0 and 97.4 %. Protective anti-HBs found in 99.3 %. The pertussis vaccine response rate was 84.9 %.

None Serious Adverse events (SAEs) considered related to study vaccine or procedure.

Conclusions

The 3-dose of DTP-HB-Hib was immunogenic, well tolerated and suitable for replacement of licensed-equivalent vaccines based on immunologic and safety profiles.

Trial registration

NCT01986335 – October 30^th 2013.

Cost-effectiveness of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine in Vietnam

BACKGROUND

With GAVI support, Vietnam introduced Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine in 2010 without evidence on cost-effectiveness. We aimed to analyze the cost-effectiveness of Hib vaccine from societal and governmental perspectives.

METHOD

We constructed a decision-tree cohort model to estimate the costs and effectiveness of Hib vaccine versus no Hib vaccine for the 2011 birth cohort. The disease burden was estimated from local epidemiologic data and literature. Vaccine delivery costs were calculated from governmental reports and 2013 vaccine prices. A prospective cost-of-illness study was conducted to estimate treatment costs. The human capital approach was employed to estimate productivity loss. The incremental costs of Hib vaccine were divided by cases, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) averted. We used the WHO recommended cost-effectiveness thresholds of an intervention being highly cost-effective if incremental costs per DALY were below GDP per capita.

RESULT

From the societal perspective, incremental costs per discounted case, death and DALY averted were US$ 6252, US$ 26,476 and US$ 1231, respectively; the break-even vaccine price was US$ 0.69/dose. From the governmental perspective, the results were US$ 6954, US$ 29,449, and US$ 1373, respectively; the break-even vaccine price was US$ 0.48/dose. Vietnam's GDP per capita was US$ 1911 in 2013. In deterministic sensitivity analysis, morbidity and mortality parameters were among the most influential factors. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, Hib vaccine had an 84% and 78% probability to be highly cost-effective from the societal and governmental perspectives, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Hib vaccine was highly cost-effective from both societal and governmental perspectives. However, with GAVI support ending in 2016, the government will face a six-fold increase in its vaccine budget at the 2013 vaccine price. The variability of vaccine market prices adds an element of uncertainty. Increased government commitment and improved resource allocation decision making will be necessary to retain Hib vaccine.

Pentavalent vaccine and adverse events following immunization-untangling the misinterpretations

In April 2008, the National Technical Group on Immunization (NTAGI) Sub-committee on H. influenza type b (Hib) vaccine recommended that Hib containing pentavalent vaccine should be introduced in the country. Subsequently liquid pentavalent vaccine (LPV) was launched in the Kerala and Tamil Nadu on a pilot basis in December 2011. The introduction of LPV in these two states was followed by reported deaths in infants who had received LPV. An exhaustive summary of media reports and previous literature has since been made available at various fora which have been supplemented with estimations of the damage the LPV may cause. It has thus been concluded that the LPV is bound to cause more number of infant deaths than it will save from Hib meningitis and pneumonia. The current paper aims to clear some of the misinterpretations and miscalculations so that lives of 72,000 infants can be saved.

Use of vaccines as probes to define disease burden

Vaccine probe studies have emerged in the past 15 years as a useful way to characterise disease. By contrast, traditional studies of vaccines focus on defining the vaccine effectiveness or efficacy. The underlying basis for the vaccine probe approach is that the difference in disease burden between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals can be ascribed to the vaccine-specific pathogen. Vaccine probe studies can increase understanding of a vaccine's public health value. For instance, even when a vaccine has a seemingly low efficacy, a high baseline disease incidence can lead to a large vaccine-preventable disease burden and thus that population-based vaccine introduction would be justified. So far, vaccines have been used as probes to characterise disease syndromes caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcus, rotavirus, and early infant influenza. However, vaccine probe studies have enormous potential and could be used more widely in epidemiology, for example, to define the vaccine-preventable burden of malaria, typhoid, paediatric influenza, and dengue, and to identify causal interactions between different pathogens.

Socio-demographic determinants of timely adherence to BCG, Penta3, measles, and complete vaccination schedule in Burkina Faso

OBJECTIVE

To identify the determinants of timely vaccination among young children in the North-West of Burkina Faso.

METHODS

This study included 1665 children between 12 and 23 months of age from the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System, born between September 2006 and December 2008. The effect of socio-demographic variables on timely adherence to the complete vaccination schedule was studied in multivariable ordinal logistic regression with 3 distinct endpoints: (i) complete timely adherence, (ii) failure, and (iii) missing vaccination. Three secondary endpoints were timely vaccination with BCG, Penta3, and measles, which were studied with standard multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Mothers' education, socio-economic status, season of birth, and area of residence were significantly associated with failure of timely adherence to the complete vaccination schedule. Year of birth, ethnicity, and the number of siblings was significantly related to timely vaccination with Penta3 but not with BCG or measles vaccination. Children living in rural areas were more likely to fail timely vaccination with BCG than urban children (OR=1.79, 95%CI=1.24-2.58 (proximity to health facility), OR=3.02, 95%CI=2.18-4.19 (long distance to health facility)). In contrast, when looking at Penta3 and measles vaccination, children living in rural areas were far less likely to have failed timely vaccinations than urban children. Mother's education positively influenced timely adherence to the vaccination schedule (OR=1.42, 95%CI 1.06-1.89). There was no effect of household size or the age of the mother.

CONCLUSIONS

Additional health facilities and encouragement of women to give birth in these facilities could improve timely vaccination with BCG. Rural children had an advantage over the urban children in timely vaccination, which is probably attributable to outreach vaccination teams amongst other factors. As urban children rely on their mothers' own initiative to get vaccinated, urban mothers should be encouraged more strongly to get their children vaccinated in time.

Cost-effectiveness of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine in low- and middle-income countries: regional analysis and assessment of major determinants

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine in low- and middle-income countries and identify the model variables, which are most important for the result.

STUDY DESIGN

A static decision tree model was developed to predict incremental costs and health impacts. Estimates were generated for 4 country groups: countries eligible for funding by the GAVI Alliance in Africa and Asia, lower middle-income countries, and upper middle-income countries. Values, including disease incidence, case fatality rates, and treatment costs, were based on international country estimates and the scientific literature.

RESULTS

From the societal perspective, it is estimated that the probability of Hib conjugate vaccine cost saving is 34%-53% in Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization eligible African and Asian countries, respectively. In middle-income countries, costs per discounted disability adjusted life year averted are between US$37 and US$733. Variation in vaccine prices and risks of meningitis sequelae and mortality explain most of the difference in results. For all country groups, disease incidence cause the largest part of the uncertainty in the result.

CONCLUSIONS

Hib conjugate vaccine is cost saving or highly cost-effective in low- and middle-income settings. This conclusion is especially influenced by the recent decline in Hib conjugate vaccine prices and new data revealing the high costs of lost productivity associated with meningitis sequelae.

Pentavalent DTP vaccine: need to be incorporated in the vaccination program of India

Hemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis among infants and young children and the second leading cause of bacterial pneumonia deaths among children under 5 y. The overall case-fatality rate for Hib meningitis is 20-29%, and nearly 30% of surviving children suffer from major disabilities, while all invasive Hib disease (including meningitis) has a case fatality rate of 16% in India. Using the estimates from the Hib study, ~215,000 new cases of Hib pneumonia occur yearly in Indian children under the age of 5 y and result in over 61,000 deaths. This level of mortality is because of poor access to health services and poor health-seeking behavior by population, lack of laboratory infrastructure, and difficulty to diagnosis Hib disease among affected children. Disease burden is difficult to calculate. Even for those affected children who do reach healthcare facilities, the lack of quality health services and increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistance makes treatment difficult for these children. Even in countries that have poor immunization coverage, indirect benefits of the Hib vaccine have been reported due to the herd effect. The Hib vaccine thus should be effective in India where Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) coverage is poor. Following the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation that Hib-containing Pentavalent DTP vaccine (a combination vaccine that protects against five killer diseases: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B [hepB] and Hib) should be administered to every child in the world, the Government of India asked the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) to study the need for HepB and Hib vaccines in the Indian population. The India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare introduced Pentavalent DTP vaccines in the UIP with the aim of reducing the burden of Hib-related morbidity and mortality.

Cost-effectiveness and economic benefits of vaccines in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Public health interventions that prevent mortality and morbidity have greatly increased over the past decade. Immunization is one of these preventive interventions, with a potential to bring economic benefits beyond just health benefits. While vaccines are considered to be a cost-effective public health intervention, implementation has become increasingly challenging. As vaccine costs rise and competing priorities increase, economic evidence is likely to play an increasingly important role in vaccination decisions.

METHODS

To assist policy decisions today and potential investments in the future, we provide a systematic review of the literature on the cost-effectiveness and economic benefits of vaccines in low- and middle-income countries from 2000 to 2010. The review identified 108 relevant articles from 51 countries spanning 23 vaccines from three major electronic databases (Pubmed, Embase and Econlit).

RESULTS

Among the 44 articles that reported costs per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted, vaccines cost less than or equal to $100 per DALY averted in 23 articles (52%). Vaccines cost less than $500 per DALY averted in 34 articles (77%), and less than $1000 per DALY averted in 38 articles (86%) in one of the scenarios. 24 articles (22%) examined broad level economic benefits of vaccines such as greater future wage-earning capacity and cost savings from averting disease outbreaks. 60 articles (56%) gathered data from a primary source. There were little data on long-term and societal economic benefits such as morbidity-related productivity gains, averting catastrophic health expenditures, growth in gross domestic product (GDP), and economic implications of demographic changes resulting from vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

This review documents the available evidence and shows that vaccination in low- and middle-income countries brings important economic benefits. The cost-effectiveness studies reviewed suggest to policy makers that vaccines are an efficient investment. This review further highlights key gaps in the available literature that would benefit from additional research, especially in the area of evaluating the broader economic benefits of vaccination in the developing world.

Economic burden of acute lower respiratory tract infection in South African children

BACKGROUND

Acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) are a leading cause of childhood mortality, but there are few data on disease costs in developing countries.

OBJECTIVES

This study's purpose was to analyse ALRTI's costs-of-illness and economic burden in urban South African children.

METHODS

ALRTI costs-of-illness (expressed in US$ 2010) at a tertiary hospital were measured using a micro-costing approach nested within a clinical trial. Demographic, epidemiological and data on use of health resources were integrated with costs-of-illness to estimate the economic burden of ALRTI in urban South African children aged <5 years.

RESULTS

745 children experiencing 858 ALRTI episodes were studied. 338 (39.4%), 513 (59.8%) and 7 (0.8%) episodes were managed in short-stay, paediatric ward and intensive care settings, respectively. Mean lengths of stay in short-stay, paediatric ward and intensive care (ICU) were 1.4, 8.1 and 14.4 days, respectively. The societal costs-of-illness per ALRTI episode managed in short-stay and paediatric ward settings, respectively, were US$266 (95% CI 245-286) and 1287 (95% CI 1174-1401) in HIV-infected patients, and US$257 (95% CI 247-267) and 1032 (95% CI 931-1133) in HIV-uninfected patients. Family costs were not collected in ICUs. ICU direct medical costs were US$5968 (95% CI 4025-8056) in HIV-uninfected patients and US$7849 in one HIV-infected patient. Under-5 children experienced an estimated 424,220 episodes annually of ALRTI. ALRTI treatment cost the public health system an estimated US$28,975,000 while an additional US$539,000 of costs were borne by families.

CONCLUSION

ALRTIs in children <5 years impose a heavy economic burden on families and the South African public health-care system.

Vaccine preventable community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized children in Northwest China

BACKGROUND

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of morbidity in industrialized countries and morbidity/mortality in developing countries. In China, comprehensive studies of the etiology of CAP in children aged between 2 months and 14 years who are serious enough to require hospitalization are lacking. Previous studies have been limited in child age range, focused on fatal cases, and/or limited in etiologies sought. An understanding of the etiologies is needed for development of best prevention and management practices.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to prospectively determine during a 12-month period the etiology of CAP in hospitalized children in a center in Northwest China.

DESIGN/METHODS

A prospective 12-month study (2004-2005) of CAP cases in children who were 2 months to 14 years of age admitted to the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, China. Testing included admission and 1-month postdischarge serum for viral and bacterial serologic analyses (respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and B, paraflu 1-3, adenovirus; Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza B, Mycoplasma, and Moraxella. catarrhalis), blood culture, a nasopharyngeal aspirate for viral antigen testing, and a chest radiograph on admission and 1 month postdischarge. The study was funded by Lanzhou University. The study was performed in compliance with the guidelines of the institutional review board of the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University.

RESULTS

CAP was the admitting diagnosis for 29% of all admissions during the 12-month study. Of the 884 CAP cases, 821 (93%) were enrolled and completed the study. The age range was 2 months to 14 years; mean age was 2.3 years; 40% were <1 year. The average length of stay was 9.2 days (range, 6-20) but varied by age and etiology. Fourteen percent had received antibiotics before admission and 14% had underlying illnesses; 12% required intensive care unit treatment and 5 died. A microbial etiology for CAP was identified in 547 (67%); viral 535 (43%), bacterial 228 (27%), mixed viral bacterial 107 (13%), mixed viral in 1%, and mixed bacterial in 1%. The etiology varied by age; respiratory syncytial virus was most common in <1 year, S. pneumoniae and Hib 1-3 years, and Mycoplasma 5 years. Three potentially vaccine preventable etiologies accounted for 35% of the cases: influenza 9%, Hib 12%, and S. pneumonia 14%.

CONCLUSIONS

CAP is a major cause of childhood admission in China. Given the etiologic findings in this study, potentially 25% to 35% of cases could be prevented if seasonal influenza vaccine and conjugated H. influenza b and conjugated pneumococcal vaccines were introduced into routine practice.

Foresight in medicine: current challenges with Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccines

An effective vaccine to prevent invasive infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria has been available for more than 20 years. Hib conjugate vaccine is safe, efficacious and easy to use, and its cost-benefit ratio is high both in industrialized as well as in developing countries. In spite of this, WHO estimates that every year approximately 8 million children contract life-threatening Haemophilus infections, especially meningitis or severe pneumonia. If we want to take seriously the Millenium Development Goal of reducing the mortality of under 5-year-old children by two-thirds before the year 2015, an effective means to contribute to this would be more efficient use of Hib vaccines.

Vaccine preventable infections and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in critically ill children in China

BACKGROUND

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is a major cause of mortality in PICUs in industrialized countries. As developing countries become more advanced, PICU care comes into reach. The aim of this study was to examine MODS in a PICU in China in comparison with other countries.

METHODS

A retrospective 5-year audit (2001-2006) of MODS cases in a 6-bed PICU in the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, China.

RESULTS

Of the 332 PICU patients, 176 (53%) had MODS; the mean age was 35 months, and 60% were <1 year of age. Infectious diseases were the predominant factor underlying MODS (128/176; 73%) with 24% attributable to potentially vaccine preventable infections (14 to Haemophilus influenzae b, 13 to Streptococcus pneumoniae, and 4 to Neisseria meningitidis). The case fatality rate for MODS was 49% with no difference between infectious or noninfectious causes (48% vs. 52%; P > 0.05). The frequency of organ dysfunction in MODS was in decreasing order: respiratory (95%), cardiovascular (89%), gastrointestinal (39%), neurologic (35%), hematologic (16%), renal (14%), and hepatic (4%) systems. Mortality rose with increasing number of organs involved. Gastrointestinal system failure was more common in MODS caused by infection than noninfection (45% vs. 23%; P <0.01) and had a higher mortality (72% vs. 34%; P < 0.001). The case fatality rate for MODS in this study was comparable to rates in other developing countries but higher than in industrialized countries.

CONCLUSIONS

MODS is a major cause of mortality in PICU patients in China. In China, infection-related MODS PICU cases could potentially be reduced to rates closer to those in industrialized countries, if conjugated H. influenzae b and conjugated pneumococcal vaccines were introduced into routine practice.

Incremental system costs of introducing combined DTwP-hepatitis B-Hib vaccine into national immunization services in Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE

With support from the GAVI Alliance a fully liquid combined DTwP-HepB-Hib (pentavalent) vaccine in a single dose vial was introduced into Ethiopia's routine immunization services in March 2007. This vaccine was substituted with DTwP in a 10-dose vial. We aimed to estimate the incremental system costs of pentavalent vaccine delivery.

METHODS

Data on cold storage expansion and increased vaccine transport frequency were collected in four regions of Ethiopia over a 2-week period, as part of a Post-Introduction Evaluation of the new vaccine. Interviews were conducted with individuals at all levels of the health system. Information on the costs of training and communication to facilitate the introduction was collected from the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and WHO in Addis Ababa.

RESULTS

The switch from a 10-dose DTwP to a single dose pentavalent vaccine increased refrigeration storage volume per fully vaccinated child by 106% at national and regional levels and by 71% at the three lower levels of vaccine distribution. Cold storage equipment were purchased at all levels and the frequency of vaccine collection more than doubled in many places. Incremental capital costs of cold storage equipment, training and communication amounted to US$ 4.8 million, or US$ 1.53 per child in the 2007 birth cohort. After annualizing capital costs and adding recurrent costs, system costs came to US$ 0.80 per child in the 2007 birth cohort. With a vaccination coverage rate of 78% this is equivalent to US$ 1.13 per fully vaccinated child. The most important system cost item is cold storage, amounting to US$ 0.62 per child in the birth cohort and US$ 0.03 per additional cm(3) of cold storage.

CONCLUSION

In Ethiopia introduction of pentavalent vaccine necessitated considerable investments in additional cold storage equipment as well as an increase in vaccine transport frequency. A GAVI Alliance introduction grant of US$ 0.30 per child in the birth cohort would cover approximately 20% of the capital investments undertaken to facilitate introduction.