A large randomized controlled trial of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in South Africa found that use of the vaccine prevented 10 times as many cases of pneumococcal pneumonia in HIV positive children than in HIV negative children.
Pneumococcal disease/PCV/PPSV
Cancer patients are at greater risk of vaccine-preventable infections
A study in the US found that the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease was 22 to 38 times higher in adults with cancer than in healthy adults.
Implementing pneumonia vaccination programs can significantly reduce hospitalizations
Assuming 90% coverage, a program in The Gambia using a 9-valent PCV (PCV9) would prevent approximately 630 hospitalizations, 40 deaths, and 1000 DALYs over the first 5 years of life of a birth cohort. The estimated cost would be $670 per DALY averted in The Gambia.
Pneumonia vaccines have large health and financial benefits, especially benefiting the poorest households
A study looking at the impact of pneumococcal vaccine introduction and scaling up pneumonia treatment in Ethiopia found that 30-40% of all deaths averted by these interventions would be expected to occur in the poorest wealth quintile. The greatest resulting financial risk protection would also be concentrated among the bottom income quintile.
Introduction and scale-up of pneumonia vaccines has the great impact for the poorest children
A study looking at the impact of pneumococcal vaccine introduction and scaling up pneumonia treatment in Ethiopia found that 30-40% of all deaths averted by these interventions would be expected to occur in the poorest wealth quintile. Scaling up PCV13 to levels achieved with DTP3 in Ethiopia would be expected to avert nearly 3000 child deaths and 60,000 episodes of pneumococcal pneumonia annually, not including any potential herd benefit. A publicly financed program to scale up pneumococcal vaccines would cost about US$40 per year of healthy life gained.
Immunization can prevent severe long-term impacts of infections, including seizures and hearing loss
In The Gambia, 58% of children who survived pneumococcal meningitis had long lasting negative health outcomes. Half had major disabilities such as mental retardation, hearing loss, motor abnormalities, and seizures.
In Argentina, PCV immunization is a highly cost effective strategy
PCV7 use in Argentina resulted in an estimated cost of US$5,599 per life year gained. The purchase of the 4 doses of vaccine for the entire cohort at a cost of US$26.5 per dose would required an investment of US$73,823,806.00. This investment would significantly reduce the number of deaths brought about by cases of meningitis, bacteremia, pneumonia, otitis media and meningitis sequelae. The resultant decrease in morbidity and mortality coupled with herd immunity offered by immunization would contribute substantially to national productivity making PCV immunization a highly cost effective strategy.
Pneumonia vaccination among children in refugee camps is cost-effective
In a study modeling the cost-effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in Somalia – the country with the second largest number of refugees in 2012 – the use of Hib vaccine, PCV10, or both Hib and PCV10 were all found to be cost effective means to prevent excess morbidity and mortality from pneumonia in young Somali children. Such a vaccination campaign could conservatively reduce pneumonia cases and deaths by nearly 20%.
Vaccines are a cost-effective means to reduce the high burden of pneumonia and diarrhea suffered by malnourished children living in refugee camps
Children living in the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan in 2013 were found to have an elevated rate of pneumonia infections likely due to malnutrition, overcrowding, and inadequate shelter. Using these data, the CDC estimated that the use of Hib and pneumococcal vaccines in children under 2 years of age in the camp would be cost-effective under all dosing scenarios evaluated. Medecines Sans Frontiers (MSF) provided medical services to this refugee camp and found delivery of these vaccines to be feasible and effective in this setting.
Large study in California finds significant reduction in need for antibiotics in vaccinated children
In a study evaluating the impact of PCV7 on 40,000 recipients and control subjects in northern California revealed that the vaccine could significantly decrease the need for antibiotics to treat the disease. The children who had received the vaccine displayed a 5.4% reduction in the number of antibiotic prescriptions and a 12.6% reduction in the use of “second-line antibiotics” compared to the controls. Additionally, when looking at children in the time period between their first dose and attainment of the age of 3.5 years, receiving the vaccine had prevented 35 antibiotic prescriptions per 100 fully vaccinated children.