Single Dose of New Typhoid Vaccine Protects Kids Long-Term

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Jan. 26, 2024 -- While largely eliminated in more affluent nations, typhoid remains a deadly scourge in developing countries, killing more than 110,000 children every year.

Children in endemic areas -- mainly sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia -- have new reason to hope, however, with the advent of a one-shot vaccine that appears to provide long-term protection against the typhoid bacterium.

The vaccine, called Typbar TCV, requires just one dose and shielded children ages 9 months to 12 years over the course of a four-year study, researchers reported Jan. 26 in The Lancet journal.

In the trial, researchers randomly gave the TCV vaccine to half of over 28,000 healthy children in the south African nation of Malawi. The other half of the children received a meningitis vaccine.

Over the next four years, rates of typhoid incidence fell dramatically among kids who got the TCV shot. Just 24 children who got the vaccine developed typhoid, compared to 110 kids who didn't receive it -- a more than 78% efficacy rate.

Put another way, one case of typhoid was prevented for every 163 kids who got the TCV vaccine, the researchers said.

The shot appeared to work well regardless of a child's age, and its effectiveness declined only slightly over time -- about a 1.3% drop in efficacy per year, the investigators said.

“The newly published study supports the long-lasting impacts of a single shot of TCV, even in the youngest children, and offers hope of preventing typhoid in the most vulnerable children,” said study co-author Dr. Kathleen Neuzil. She's a professor of vaccinology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in Baltimore.

According to background information from the researchers, typhoid is usually contracted from contaminated food or beverages. Its symptoms include nausea, fever and abdominal pain. Left untreated, the disease can prove fatal.

Over 9 million cases of typhoid are recorded worldwide each year.

The results of the new trial "have significant implications for identification of the contribution of TCVs in the control and potential elimination of typhoid fever in endemic settings,” wrote the authors of a commentary published alongside the study.

Based on the trial results, the Malawi government is now committed to vaccinating all children under the age of 15. Going forward, all babies will receive the Typbar TCV shot at the age of 9 months as part of their routine vaccinations.

“The research could not come at a more critical time, when Malawi and other African countries are struggling with climate change, extreme weather events and increased urbanization patterns, which are likely to contribute to increases in enteric diseases, including typhoid," UMSOM Dean Dr. Mark Gladwin said in a university news release.

Sources

  • University of Maryland School of Medicine, news release, Jan. 26, 2024

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2024-01-26 22:15

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords