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Oral polio vaccination in infants: beneficial effect of additional dose at birth
S Khare1, S Kumari, I S Nagpal
1National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi.
Insights
Administering the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to newborns on the third day of life safely enhances infant immune response. This early trivalent oral polio vaccine (TOPV) dose improves seroconversion rates against polio virus types.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Polio remains a global public health concern, necessitating effective vaccination strategies.
- Early infant immunization is crucial for establishing protective immunity against infectious diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate newborn response to the trivalent oral polio vaccine (TOPV).
- To determine the efficacy of administering OPV on the third day of life.
Main Methods:
- A study involving two groups of infants in Delhi, India.
- Group A received a birth dose ('O' dose) of TOPV plus 3 conventional doses; Group B received 3 conventional OPV doses.
- Serum samples were analyzed pre- and post-immunization for neutralizing antibodies.
Main Results:
- Early OPV administration on day 3 led to seroconversion in 15.3% of infants by 6 weeks, with the highest response to poliovirus type 1.
- Group A demonstrated significantly higher seroconversion rates than Group B after the final dose.
- TOPV immunization in newborns was found to be safe and effective.
Conclusions:
- Administering TOPV to newborns on the third day of life is a safe and effective immunization strategy.
- Early OPV boosts infant protection against poliomyelitis.
- This approach enhances seroconversion rates, contributing to improved public health outcomes.
Abstract:
This study was done to assess the response of newborns to trivalent oral polio vaccine and to study any efficacy of OPV if given to infants on third day of life. The study was conducted in two groups, A (87) and B (55) of infants in Delhi, India. In group A, the children received one birth dose or 'O' dose of TOPV, followed by 3 conventional doses started at 6 weeks, and in group B the children received only 3 doses of OPV. Pre and one month post immunization serum samples were tested for the presence of neutralising antibodies. In addition, in group A serum samples were collected at 6 weeks before the administration of 1st dose to see the sero response following 'O' dose of TOPV. It was found that administration of OPV on 3rd day of life leads to sero conversion in 15.3% of infants to all three polio virus types by the age of 6 weeks, and highest sero response was seen for polio virus type 1. Sero-conversion in group A was significantly more than sero-conversion in group B after the administration of last dose. Thus the study has established that immunization of newborns with TOPV is a safe and effective means for improving protection against the disease.