Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

------------------------------------------------------------

May 10, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"New Vaccine to Halt Childhood Death"

Africa News Service (www.allafrica.com) (05/09/02)

Clinical trials involving about 40,000 children in Soweto, South Africa, show that a new pneumococcal vaccine reduced the incidence of pneumonia in children who had been vaccinated by 20 percent.  Researchers from the University of Witwatersrand also said that the vaccine lowered the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease.  In addition, the scientists, working with researchers from Emory University in the United States, said the vaccine has an 80 percent prevention potential in HIV-negative children and 50 percent in children with HIV.  Emory Prof. Keith Klugman, who presented the findings this week at the third International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Disease in Anchorage, Alaska, noted that thus far, no other vaccine has been documented to prevent the disease in children with HIV. "Our study showed a 50 percent reduction in this group, and in an era where there is little to offer children with HIV, we can clearly reduce invasive disease," Klugman said.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.