| New vaccine protects young children against otitis media -
14-03-2006, 05:30 AM
European scientists have developed a new vaccine that seems to protect young children against otitis media. The vaccine contains antigenic material from 11 different serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae, each one carried by a protein derived from Haemophilus influenzae. Between them, these pathogens are the most important causal agents of otitis media in young children.
In a randomised trial, the new vaccine reduced by about a third the overall incidence of otitis media among children under 2 years in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (333/2455, 14% v 499/2452, 20%). The 2455 vaccinated children were 57.6% (95% CI 41.4 to 69.3) less likely to develop otitis media caused by S pneumoniae and 35.3% (1.8% to 57.4%) less likely to develop otitis media caused by H influenzae than control children, who were vaccinated instead against hepatitis A.
The new vaccine schedule included injections at 3, 4, and 5 months of age, followed by a booster at 12-15 months. Fourteen adverse events were related to the vaccines, seven in each group. Side effects caused by the new vaccine included fever, vomiting, agitation, and purpura; all resolved spontaneously. The trial was designed, sponsored, and analysed by the manufacturers, GlaxoSmithKline.  | 
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