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This is a great achievement, of a medical product being targeted,
appropriate to its requirement. Historically, new vaccines have always
faced lots of hurdles in reaching the unaffording population of the
developing countries. Some of these issues include effect of vaccine in
the country-specific epidemiology and population, shortcomings in
healthcare systems and advisory committees, logistics parameters like cold
chain maintenance, apart from the cost issue.
Pertaining to the developing countries, the common serotypes
responsible for pneumococcal infections are serotypes 1 and 5, known as
'developing country serotypes'. Similarly, the problem of globally
'emerging serotypes', particularly 19A (also 3 and 6A), may also affect
the developing countries, as antibiotic pressure and time-trends are
important determinants of serotype prevalence, apart from vaccine
pressure. In a recently presented India data (at the European Society of
Pediatric Infectious Disease 2011), these three serotypes accounted for
>44% of invasive pneumococcal disease isolates. The newer conjugate
vaccines with broader coverage against these serotypes, provides an
opportunity for broader protection, with a better coverage from the
developing country perspective.
Competing interests:
Medical Advisor, Pfizer India
I work in a chain of privately run medical clinics in Kenya and the
acceptance and turnout for the Pneumococcal vacine is unprecedented. This
can only augur well as it will reduce pressure on actual case management
and mortality of the under fives, eventually improving overall mortality
rates. On behalf of the mothers and their children who may never know the
sacrifices developed countries do to the third world,I say a big thank
you. This indeed is a prime example of globalization of medicine.
Developing country vaccine issues
Dear all,
This is a great achievement, of a medical product being targeted,
appropriate to its requirement. Historically, new vaccines have always
faced lots of hurdles in reaching the unaffording population of the
developing countries. Some of these issues include effect of vaccine in
the country-specific epidemiology and population, shortcomings in
healthcare systems and advisory committees, logistics parameters like cold
chain maintenance, apart from the cost issue.
Pertaining to the developing countries, the common serotypes
responsible for pneumococcal infections are serotypes 1 and 5, known as
'developing country serotypes'. Similarly, the problem of globally
'emerging serotypes', particularly 19A (also 3 and 6A), may also affect
the developing countries, as antibiotic pressure and time-trends are
important determinants of serotype prevalence, apart from vaccine
pressure. In a recently presented India data (at the European Society of
Pediatric Infectious Disease 2011), these three serotypes accounted for
>44% of invasive pneumococcal disease isolates. The newer conjugate
vaccines with broader coverage against these serotypes, provides an
opportunity for broader protection, with a better coverage from the
developing country perspective.
Competing interests: Medical Advisor, Pfizer India