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Current role of vaccination in preventing acute respiratory infections in children in developing countries
1Programme for the Control of Acute Respiratory Infections, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Insights
Vaccines significantly reduce childhood deaths from acute respiratory infections (ARI) in developing nations. Measles, pertussis, and future vaccines against bacterial and viral pathogens offer substantial life-saving potential.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are a leading cause of over four million childhood deaths annually in developing countries.
- Standard case management exists, but vaccines present a significant opportunity to further reduce mortality.
- Existing immunizations like measles and pertussis already prevent over one million childhood deaths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential impact of various vaccines on reducing childhood mortality from acute respiratory infections.
- To identify key vaccine targets for preventing deaths due to pneumonia and other ALRI.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing immunization data and projected impact of new vaccine introductions.
- Analysis of potential mortality reduction from conjugate vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- Assessment of the potential role of a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine.
Main Results:
- Immunization against measles and pertussis prevents over one million childhood deaths.
- New conjugate vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b could reduce acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) deaths by 4% if effective against pneumonia.
- Effective conjugate vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae and a safe respiratory syncytial virus vaccine could each prevent an additional 10% of ALRI deaths.
Conclusions:
- Vaccines are critical tools for reducing childhood mortality from ARI in developing countries.
- Further research is needed to clarify the role of other bacterial and viral vaccines in ARI prevention.
- The development and implementation of new vaccines hold immense potential for saving young lives.
Abstract:
Acute respiratory infections (ARI) cause more than four million childhood deaths each year in developing countries. In addition to standard case management, vaccines have a great potential for reducing these deaths. Immunization against measles and pertussis, already reaching more than 70% of infants in developing countries, contributes to the prevention of more than one million childhood deaths. New conjugate vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b, if shown to be effective against pneumonia in developing countries, could reduce acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) deaths by 4%. A further 10% reduction could be obtained by the availability of an effective conjugate vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae. A safe vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus could also prevent 10% of ALRI deaths. The potential role of other bacterial and viral vaccines needs to be clarified.