Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines effective at preventing child deaths
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - 08:14
in Health & Medicine
A study published in The Cochrane Review this month concludes that pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV), already known to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and x-ray defined pneumonia, was also effective against child deaths. The findings were based on a systematic review of the results of 6 randomised and controlled trials conducted in the US, Africa, Philippines, and Finland. Eighty percent of children were less likely to develop vaccine-type IPD, 58% all-serotype IPD, and 27% x-ray defined pneumonia than children who did not receive the vaccine. Eleven percent of child deaths were also prevented. In total, 113,044 children were included in the six trials - 57,015 children in the PCV group and 56,029 in the control group...