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Immunogenicity and feasibility of purified chick embryo cell vaccine
S Sehgal1, M Bhardwaj, D Bhattacharya
1WHO Collaborative Centre for Rabies Epidemiology for South-East Asia Zoonosis Division, National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Sham Nath Marg, Delhi.
Insights
Purified chick embryo cell (PCEC) rabies vaccine is safe and effective for children. Post-exposure prophylaxis with PCEC vaccine resulted in satisfactory antibody levels and no vaccine failures in pediatric rabies cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Vaccinology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Rabies remains a significant public health concern, particularly in developing regions.
- Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is critical for preventing rabies after potential exposure.
- Purified chick embryo cell (PCEC) vaccine is a widely used rabies vaccine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the safety and immunogenicity of PCEC vaccine in children.
- To evaluate the serological response to PCEC vaccine in pediatric patients receiving PEP.
- To determine the efficacy of PCEC vaccine in preventing rabies in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 271 children receiving PCEC vaccine for PEP.
- Data collected on vaccine tolerance, side reactions, and vaccination schedules.
- Antirabies antibody titers assessed to determine serological response.
Main Results:
- PCEC vaccine was well-tolerated, with only 7% experiencing mild to moderate side reactions.
- All children demonstrated satisfactory antirabies antibody titers (> 0.5 IU/ml), with a mean of 1.98 IU/ml.
- No vaccine failures were observed in the study population, regardless of the vaccination schedule or bite severity.
Conclusions:
- PCEC vaccine is safe and highly immunogenic in children receiving PEP for rabies exposure.
- The vaccine elicits a robust antibody response, indicating its effectiveness in preventing rabies.
- PCEC vaccine is a reliable option for pediatric rabies prevention strategies.
Abstract:
Two hundred seventy-one children reported at the WHO Collaborative Centre for Rabies Epidemiology for South-East Asia at National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi, for advice and antirabies antibody assessment after post-exposure prophylaxis with purified chick embryo cell (PCEC) antirabies vaccine from January 1986 to October 1992. Vaccine was very well tolerated by these children and only 7% complained about mild to moderate side reactions like pain, induration, fever or rash. On an average, every year 50-55 children had reported at this Centre after post-exposure vaccination with PCEC vaccine excepting years 1986 and 1987. One hundred and forty-four children underwent complete course of post-exposure prophylaxis, i.e., 5 or 6 doses on day 0, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90 (optional) of PCEC vaccine were administered, forty-three (43) children received 4 doses on day 0, 7, 14 and 30 (day 3 dose was omitted) and eighty-four (84) children received 2 to 3 doses as the biting animals were alive for 10 days in these cases. Two hundred and twenty-nine children (84.5%) were bitten by dogs and in 10%, the dog was proven rabid by laboratory examination of dog brain. One hundred and forty-nine (55%) had Class III bite. Serological response, i.e., antirabies antibody titre in all these children were satisfactory (> 0.5 IU/ml) with mean titre of 1.98 IU/ml irrespective of doses of PCEC vaccine administered. No vaccine failure was observed in this study.