Vaccine Reduces Childhood Ear Infections

A study has demonstrated that a vaccine for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in children is effective in preventing certain childhood ear infections as well. The study, conducted by the National Public Health Institute of Finland (KTL, Helsinki), was published in the February 8 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

The randomized, double-blind study involved 1,662 Finnish children who were given either the trial vaccine or the control vaccine at two, four, six, and 12 months of age. The children were followed up to the age of 24 months. Results showed a 57% reduction in otitis media caused by the seven pneumococcal serotypes targeted by the vaccine, a 51% reduction in otitis media caused by serotypes closely related, and a 34% reduction in otitis media caused by any pneumococcal bacteria.

Pneumococcal infections range from otitis media, sinusitis and pneumonia to very serious and life-threatening invasive diseases such as bacteremia and meningitis. The vaccine used in the study was a seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar, Wyeth Lederle Vaccines).

"Because our study identified the pathogen causing the otitis media, for the first time we were able to confirm that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing otitis media caused by the seven pneumococcal serotypes the vaccine covers,” said Terhi Kilpi, M.D., a researcher at KTL and one of the lead investigators in the study.