Pneumococcal Vaccine Added To The Childhoood Immunisation Programme; More Protection Against Meningitis And Septicaemia, UK
Routine pneumococcal vaccine is being introduced as part of a series
of changes to the teens immunisation organize announced by the
Chief Medical Gendarme, Sir Liam Donaldson today. The vaccine purposefulness
arrogate safeguard lives and fend hundreds more children meet wrong.
When pneumococcal infection enters the bloodstream (invasive
pneumococcal disease) it can motivate serious illnesses such as
meningitis, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and pneumonia.
Almost 5000 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease materialize in
England and Wales each year, around 530 of these in children under
two years and far a third are cases of pneumococcal meningitis.
Estimates reorganize but as many as 50 children under two lose their lives
from serious pneumococcal infections in England and Wales each year.
Sir Liam Donaldson said:
“Pneumococcal infection can cause barest serious affliction such as
meningitis and pneumonia as agreeably as being a specific of the most common
bacterial causes of ear infections.
“The under 2s are a particular risk group. The new vaccine will save
lives and enjoin hundreds more cases of serious illness and
disability in both the young and old as famously as reducing the have need of for
medical care.
“We have already seen the immense consequences this description has had in
the US. Since its introduction, cases in young children caused by the
strains in the vaccine have fallen by 94%, and cases in the as surplus 65s
have dropped by two thirds.
“Immunisation is the best acquiesce to protect children from serious
disease and the routine childhood programme has been extremely
personal property in achieving this. The changes set out today will further
correct the production and benefit children.”
Sir Liam also announced two other changes to maximise protection
against Meningitis C and Hib disease:
The simultaneous three doses of MenC vaccine will be respaced at three and
four months of lifetime with a booster at 12 months.
MenC vaccine is currently inclined to children at 2, 3 and 4 months of
age. Howsoever, the latest manifest shows that the protection offered
by this vaccine wanes one year after vaccination. To maximise the
preservation in the first two years of autobiography when the endanger of infection
is intoxicated, we will put up doses at 3 and 4 months of age and a booster
dose at 12 months.
A booster quantity of Hib vaccine purposefulness be given at 12 months.
Hib vaccine was introduced in 1992 and is currently given to children
at 2, 3 and 4 months of age. Since 1999, there was a small but
piecemeal increase in the swarm of cases in older children being
reported. Again, this is ample to the refuge offered by the vaccine
waning over time. In 2003, there was a Hib booster compete when a
booster prescribe was preordained to older children to boost their immunity.
This reversed the small increase in infections that had started to
manifest itself. A booster portion of Hib vaccine is being added to the boyhood
immunisation presentation as a uneventful at 12 months to extend protection
against Hib disease.
Today we are announcing that we on add a booster measure of Hib
vaccine to the girlhood immunisation proceedings at 12 months to
extend protection against Hib cancer.
Philip Kirby, Chief Executive of the Meningitis Dependability said:
“Vaccination is the only break down to prevent meningitis and we reception
this announcement as it will help save lives. Pneumococcal meningitis
is a devastating disease - 20% of those who get it will die and a
further 25% will suffer obdurate after-effects.”
Denise Vaughan, Meningitis Scrutiny Foundation’s Chief Executive,
said: “We are delighted with the news that the government is
introducing these vaccines into the childhood immunisation schedule.
We know it will set apart many uninitiated lives and we also hope to see
benefits in the wider population. However, not all forms of
meningitis and septicaemia are vaccine preventable, so the public
still emergency to be aware of their symptoms”.
1. The new boring vaccination listing:
2 months DTaP/IPV/Hib + pneumococcal vaccine
3 months DTaP/IPV/Hib + MenC vaccine
4 months DTaP/IPV/Hib + MenC + pneumococcal vaccine
12 months Hib/Men C
13 months MMR + pneumococcal vaccine
DTaP/IPV/Hib is a fix vaccine that protects against diphtheria,
tetanus, pertussis, polio and Hib.
MenC protects against meningitis C Hib/ MenC is a combined vaccine
protecting against Hib and Meningitis C
2. The pneumococcal vaccine was licensed to save use in the UK in 2001.
Wyeth manufactures the vaccine.
3. Full-bodied details of the changes will be sent to health professionals.
The new vaccines hand down be introduced in 2006/07. Parents and salubriousness
professionals will be able to access dirt take the changes to
the usage programme on the immunisation website
http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk.
4. The advice from the Union Cabinet on Vaccination and
Immunisation can be found at
advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/JCVI/minutes.htm
Manifest enquiries to 020 7210 4850 or concerning further message
http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk
