Immunogenicity and immunization costs of adjuvanted versus non-adjuvanted hepatitis B vaccine in chronic kidney disease patients

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination is recommended for all susceptible chronic pre-hemodialysis and hemodialysis patients. This study assessed the immunogenicity of HBV vaccines (adjuvanted and non-adjuvanted) in chronic kidney disease patients vaccinated at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (Spain) between January 2007 and July 2012. In addition, the costs for the health system were evaluated according to the proportion of vaccine responders after receiving either vaccine. Patients receiving three doses of hepatitis B adjuvanted vaccine were three times more likely to seroconvert than patients immunized with non-adjuvanted vaccines, OR 3.56 (95% CI 1.84-6.85). This resulted in fewer patients requiring a second course of HBV vaccination and fewer outpatient visits, saving more than euro9,500 per 100 patients. The higher immunogenicity of the adjuvanted HBV vaccine would counterbalance the lower costs associated with the non-adjuvanted vaccine

Rubella susceptibility in pregnant women and results of a postpartum immunization strategy in Catalonia, Spain

BACKGROUND: Elimination of congenital rubella syndrome depends not only on effective childhood immunization but also on the identification and immunization of rubella susceptible women. We assessed rubella susceptibility among pregnant women and evaluated the adherence and response to postpartum immunization with measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of women who gave birth at the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona (Spain) between January 2008 and December 2013. Antenatal serological screening for rubella was performed in all women during pregnancy. In rubella-susceptible women, two doses of MMR vaccine were recommended following birth. We evaluated rubella serological response to MMR vaccination in mothers who complied with the recommendations. RESULTS: A total of 22,681 pregnant women were included in the study. The mean age was 32.3 years (SD 5.6), and 73.6% were primipara. The proportion of immigrants ranged from 43.4% in 2010 to 38.5% in 2012. The proportion of women susceptible to rubella was 5.9% (1328). Susceptibility to rubella declined with increasing maternal age. Immigrant pregnant women were more susceptible to rubella (7.6%) than women born in Spain (4.6%). Multivariate analyses showed that younger age (</=19 years) aOR 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.5), primiparas aOR 1.3 (95% CI 1.1-1.5) and immigrant women aOR 1.6 (95% CI 1.4-1.8) were more likely to be susceptible. The second dose of MMR vaccine was received by 57.2% (718/1256) of rubella-susceptible women, with the highest proportion being immigrant women compared with women born in Spain. After vaccination, all women showed rubella immunity. CONCLUSIONS: The higher rubella susceptibility found in the three youngest age groups and in immigrant women highlights the relevance of antenatal screening, in order to ensure identification and postpartum immunization. The postpartum immunization strategy is an opportunity to protect women of childbearing age and consequently prevent occurrence of CRS, and to increase vaccination coverage against rubella and other vaccine-preventable diseases

Pregnant women's perspectives about maternal immunization in Latin America

Background: Maternal immunization rates and vaccine uptake in Latin America vary from country to country. This variability stems from factors related to pregnant women, vaccine recommendations from healthcare providers and the health system. The aim of this paper is to describe women's knowledge and attitudes to maternal immunziation, and barriers to access and vaccination related decision-making processes in Latin American countries. Methods: We conducted focus group discussions (FGD) with pregnant women in five middle-income countries: Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico and Peru, between July 2016 and July 2018. The FGDs were conducted by trained qualitative researchers in diverse clinics located in the capital cities of these countries. Results: A total of 162 pregnant women participated in the FGDs. In general, participants were aware of the recommendation to receive vaccines during pregnancy but lacked knowledge regarding the diseases prevented by these vaccines. Pregnant women expressed a desire for clearer and more detailed communication on maternal vaccines by their healthcare professionals instead of relying on other sources of information such as the internet. Overall, participants had positive attitudes towards maternal immunization and were open to receiving vaccines in pregnancy based on general trust they have in recommendations made by their healthcare providers. The main obstacles pregnant women said they encounter were mainly centered around their clinical experience: long waiting times, vaccine shortages, and impolite behavior of healthcare providers or clinical staff. Conclusion: Important advances have been made in Latin America to promote maternal immunization. Results from this study show that an important aspect that remains to be addressed, and is crucial in improving vaccine uptake in pregnancy, is women's clinical experience. We recommend pregnant women to be treated as a priority population for providing immunization and related healthcare education. It is imperative to train healthcare providers in health communication so they can effectively communicate with pregnant women regarding maternal vaccines and can fill knowledge gaps that otherwise might be covered by unreliable sources dispensing inaccurate information.Fil: Fauzia Malik, A.. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Belizan, María. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Gutierrez, Mariana. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Vilajeliu, Alba. Pan American Health Organization; Estados UnidosFil: Sanclemente, Lauren N.. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Gonzalez Casanova, Ines. Indiana University; Estados Unidos. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Jones, Daniel Eduardo. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Omer, Saad. University of Yale; Estados Unidos. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Maria Ropero, Alba. Pan American Health Organization; Estados UnidosFil: Alonso, Juan Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentin

Health care providers perspectives about maternal immunization in Latin America

Background: Antenatal care providers have a key role in providing appropriate information and immunization recommendations to improve pregnant women's vaccine uptake. The objective of this study is to describe health care providers' perspectives and experience regarding the implementation of maternal immunization programs in Latin America. Methods: We conducted 33 in-depth interviews of health care providers from Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru (6–7 per country). Qualitative data analysis was conducted using a combination of both manual techniques and the computer software program NVivo. We identified and coded main themes related to maternal immunization. Results: The main themes identified in this analysis were practices related to maternal immunization, knowledge and training, resource availability and interactions with pregnant women. Healthcare providers knew that recommendations exists but some did not know their content; they expressed concerns about insufficient training. Providers from all five countries expressed the need for additional human resources and supplies. They also expressed a desire for women to be more proactive and ask more questions during the health visits. Conclusion: This is the first multi-country study assessing the perspectives of health care providers about maternal immunization practices at the facility level in Latin America. Recommendations based on the results from this study include implementing additional trainings around maternal immunization, especially targeting obstetricians and midwives. These trainings should be conducted in coordination with improvements to supply chain and other structural issues.Fil: Malik, Fauzia A.. University of Yale; Estados UnidosFil: Alonso, Juan Pedro. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sanclemente, Lauren N.. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Vilajeliu, Alba. Organización Panamericana de la Salud; Estados UnidosFil: Gutierrez, Mariana. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Gonzalez Casanova, Ines. University of Emory; Estados Unidos. Indiana University; Estados UnidosFil: Jones, Daniel Eduardo. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Omer, Saad. University of Yale; Estados UnidosFil: Ropero, Alba-Maria. Organización Panamericana de la Salud; Estados UnidosFil: Belizán, María Melina Eleonora. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Weak surveillance and policy attention to cancer in global health: the example of Mozambique

Cancer is an emerging public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa due to population growth, ageing and westernisation of lifestyles. The increasing burden of cancer calls for urgent policy attention to develop cancer prevention and control programmes. Cancer surveillance is an essential prerequisite. Only one in five low-income and middle-income countries have the necessary data to drive policy and reduce the cancer burden. In this piece, we use data from Mozambique over a 50-year period to illustrate cancer epidemiological trends in low-income and middle-income countries to hypothesise potential circumstances and factors that could explain changes in cancer burden and to discuss surveillance weaknesses and potential improvements. Like many low-income and middle-income countries, Mozambique faces the dual challenge of a still high morbidity and mortality due to infectious diseases in rural areas and increased incidence of cancers associated with westernisation of lifestyles in urban areas, as well as a rise of cancers related to the HIV epidemic. An increase in cancer burden and changes in the cancer profile should be expected in coming years. The Mozambican healthcare and health-information systems, like in many other low-income and middle-income countries, are not prepared to face this epidemiological transition, which deserves increasing policy attention

Trends in Cancer Incidence in Maputo, Mozambique, 1991-2008

BACKGROUND: Very limited information is available regarding the incidence of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. We analyzed changes in cancer patterns from 1991 to 2008 in Maputo (Mozambique). METHODS: We calculated the rates of incidence of different cancer sites by sex in the 5-year age-group of the population of Maputo city as well as age-standardized rates (ASRs) and average annual percentage changes (AAPC). RESULTS: Over the 18-year study period a total of 12,674 cases of cancer (56.9% females) were registered with an overall increase in the risk of cancer in both sexes. In males, the most common cancers were those of the prostate, Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and the liver. Prostate cancer showed the most dramatic increase over the whole study period (AAPC +11.3%; 95% CI: 9.7-13.0), with an ASR of 61.7 per 105 in 2003-2008. In females, the most frequent cancers were of the uterine cervix, the breast and KS, with the former increasing along the whole study period (AAPC + 4.7%; 95% CI: 3.4-6) with an ASR of 62.0 per 105 in 2003-2008 as well as breast cancer (AAPC +6.5%; 95%CI: 4.3-8.7). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the risk of cancer rose in both sexes during the study period, particularly among cancers associated with westernization of lifestyles (prostate, breast), combined with increasingly rising incidences or limited changes in cancers associated with infection and poverty (uterine cervix, liver). Moreover, the burden of AIDS-associated cancers has shown a marked increase

The impact of maternal RSV vaccine to protect infants in Gavi-supported countries: Estimates from two models.

BACKGROUND: Interventions to protect young infants against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are in advanced phases of development and are expected to be available in the foreseeable future. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, included maternal vaccines and infant monoclonal antibodies for RSV as part of the 2018 vaccine investment strategy (VIS) and decided to support these products subject to licensure, World Health Organization prequalification, Strategic Advisory Group of Experts recommendation, and meeting the financial assumptions used as the basis of the investment case. Impact estimates reported in this manuscript were used to inform the Gavi VIS. METHODS: We compared two independent vaccine impact models to evaluate a potential maternal RSV vaccine's impact on infant health in 73 Gavi-supported countries. Key inputs were harmonized across both models. We analyzed various scenarios to evaluate the effect of uncertain model parameters such as vaccine efficacy, duration of infant protection, and infant disease burden. Estimates of averted cases, severe cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were calculated over the 2023-2035 horizon. FINDINGS: A maternal RSV vaccine with 60% efficacy offering 5 months of infant protection implemented across 73 low- and middle-income countries could avert 10.1-12.5 million cases, 2.8-4.0 million hospitalizations, 123.7-177.7 thousand deaths, and 8.5-11.9 million DALYs among infants under 6 months of age for the duration of analysis (2023-2035). Maternal RSV vaccination was projected to avert up to 42% of estimated RSV deaths among infants under 6 months in year 2035. Alternative scenario analyses with higher disease burden assumptions showed that a maternal vaccine could avert as many as 325-355 thousand deaths among infants under 6 months. INTERPRETATION: RSV maternal immunization is projected to substantially reduce mortality and morbidity among young infants if introduced across Gavi-supported countries. FUNDING: This work was supported by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Consortium in Europe. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Consortium. LW is supported by Research Foundation-Flanders (1234620 N)