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April 30, 2001

“Closing Vaccination’s ‘Window of Vulnerability’”

Lancet (www.thelancet.com) (03/31/01) Vol. 357, No. 9261, P.1022; McCarthy, Michael

For some diseases, the existing vaccines are not effective until the child is several months old, leaving him or her exposed for months at a time until their immune system matures enough to respond to the vaccine.  Scientists have been pondering the perplexities of child vaccines for years, under the impression that two significant reasons explained why many vaccines were ineffective on infants.  One idea was that by adhering themselves to the vaccine antigens, the maternal antibodies were preventing the infant immune system from recognizing the antigens.  The second thought was that the T and B cells of infants were too immature, although later research has shown this is not necessarily true.  Some researchers are studying a “prime and boost” strategy in which a virus vector is first injected to prime the immune system and then a second injection is given to boost the antibody levels.  Using funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, researchers at the University of Maryland and at Johns Hopkins University are working on a neonatal measles vaccine to be used in underdeveloped nations.  Meanwhile, Kim Mulholland of the University of Melbourne points out that some current assumptions about vaccine efficacy comes from old research, noting, “We really haven’t fully explored the possibilities with existing vaccines.”

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