Vaccines & Vaccination

A Ugandan Pediatrician with keen interest in infectious diseases and childhood immunization. Currently, he a Senior Consultant Pediatrician at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Honorary Lecturer at the College of Health Sciences Makerere University and Professor of Pediatrics, St Augustine Internal University Actively involved in the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization and introduction of New Vaccines into routine immunization. He has published widely and a Peer Reviewer for several journals. A member of several professional and technical bodies including: the Uganda Medical association, Uganda Pediatric Association, International Society for Infectious diseases, International Pediatric Association, Vienna Vaccine safety Initiative, East African Rotavirus Advisory Board (GSK) and Institutional Biosafety committees for the Makerere University and Walter Reed Collaborative HIV Vaccine Trials; East African Centre for Vaccines and Immunization; External Expert Advisory group on Stronger Systems for Routine Immunization Project in Uganda and a Member of the East African Meningococcal Advisory Board (Pfizer)

Vaccination is a cornerstone of any program that aims at reducing morbidity and mortality due to preventable infectious diseases and is a cost-effective intervention. Despite efforts to reduce child mortality, 10 million children under 5 die annually mainly from developing countries, Africa inclusive. It is estimated that currently Africa contributes to over 50% of the global childhood deaths due to vaccine preventable diseases. Vaccine preventable diseases remain an important public health problem. Immunization is a key in attaining sustainable development goal 3 i.e. reducing under-five mortality globally but attaining universal childhood vaccination remains a challenge particularly in reaching the most vulnerable in Africa. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, immunization coverage remains low in most parts of Africa due to various bottlenecks including: inadequate and poorly motivated health workers (HWS), inadequate knowledge and skills by HWS, multiple languages, low education, cultural and religious beliefs, poor access to heaths facilities, social economic status, political instability, conflicts and social unrest, ever increasing refuges or internally displaced persons, mobile populations, inaccurate population and immunization data, negative messaging and anti-vaccine lobby, inadequate funding, social mobilization and vaccine safety concerns. These bottlenecks have led to minimal improvement or stagnation in immunization coverage rates in recent years in a number of African countries threatening to reverse the gains achieved in the past two decades. Achieving universal immunization coverage in Africa remains a daunting task, requires multiple strategies and partnerships.

Background: Influenza is a mucosal infection in the respiratory tract which is transmitted through the nasal mucosa. Human adenoids and tonsils are major components of local mucosal immune organs namely; nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) in humans and are known to be important induction sites for both mucosal and systemic immunity against upper respiratory tract pathogens. In this study, an in vitro cell culture model was used to describe the B cell immune responses induced by influenza vaccines. \r\n\r\nObjectives: Human NALT derived immune cells is an important model to study immune response. Using NALT to measure immune response against influenza viruses is mimicking the natural immunity against the viruses.\r\n\r\nResults: Intranasal live attenuated influenza virus-LAIV (FluMist) vaccine stimulation of NALT mononuclear cells (MNCs) induced IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies to pH1N1, sH1N1, and sH3N2. Additionally, flu vaccines also induced mucosal cross-reactive antibodies to aH5N1 following MNCs stimulation.\r\n\r\nConclusion: It is very important to use the human models to assess pathogens that causing human health problems such as influenza viruses. This model is very successful in terms of representing the natural infection.\r\n

Gbeminiyi R Otolorin is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and holds a Master of Science degree in Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine. He is a Prolific Researcher currently lecturing at the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria where he mentors young undergraduate veterinary medical students. His interests include viral, bacterial and parasitic zoonoses, environmental health, neglected tropical diseases, emerging and re-emerging zoonosis and human-animal disease interface. He has numerous academic publications to his credit and has mentored young veterinarians in agricultural business, entrepreneur and self-empowerment.

Poultry enterprise is increasingly gaining viability owning to successful preventive measures of vaccination protocols for various diseases of economic importance. A cross-sectional study involving 45 poultry farms across the 6 wards in Wukari, local government area, Taraba State Nigeria; were surveyed to determine the vaccination practices and the vaccines used by poultry farmers. Purposive sampling was employed by Interviewer administered structured questionnaires in the course of the study. Fisher’s exact test was used to test for association between categorical variables. A total of 8 (17.8%), 3 (6.7%), 3 (6.7%), 8 (17.8%), 6 (13.3%) and 17 (37.8%) farms were visited in Avyi, Bantaje, Chonku, Hospital, Jibu and Puje wards respectively. The 45 respondents were 57.8% male and 42.2% female farmers. A total of 26.7%, 40% and 33.3% fell within the age categories; 19-29 years, 30-39 years and ≥40 years respectively. Majority of the respondents never administered Marek’s (82.2%), LaSota (51.1%), Komarov (75.6%), fowl cholera (75.6%) fowl typhoid (73.3%) and coccidiosis (68.9%) vaccines. Only 42.2% of the respondents had vaccination records while 51.1% had vaccination schedules. There was a significant association between disease outbreak and the use of infectious bursal disease, fowl typhoid, fowlpox and coccidiosis vaccines respectively. The association between the handling of vaccines and disease outbreaks were significant (p<0.05) for Marek’s, infectious bursal disease, fowl typhoid and coccidiosis. The result of the association between vaccine administration against vaccine failures was significantly different (p<0.05) in all vaccines used. In conclusion, poultry farmers in Wukari are aware of routine vaccinations although a majority of them do not administer the vaccines and the few that use these vaccines have poor record and storage practices.