Partial (how about Zero?) vaccine dose may be healthier than full shot

December 3, 2008

Partial vaccine dose may work as well as full shot

Last Updated: 2008-12-02 11:51:03 -0400 (Reuters Health)

LONDON (Reuters) - Giving just one fifth the dose of a commonly used

meningitis vaccine may be as effective as using the full dose,

researchers said on Tuesday.

The finding should allow medics to stretch scarce vaccine resources,

especially during epidemics in Africa.

A clinical study conducted in Uganda by Epicentre -- the research arm

of medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres -- found similar immune

responses in patients given low and full doses of Sanofi-Aventis's

vaccine Menomune.

Serum bactericidal activity (SBA) response with a one-fifth dose was

comparable to full dose for three bacteria types targeted by the

vaccine, though not a fourth.

Although another measure of immune response, IgG level, was lower for

fractional doses, the researchers said short-term protection needed

during mass vaccination programs was best measured by SBA.

" In view of the current shortage of meningococcal vaccines for

Africa, the use of one-fifth fractional doses should be considered as

an alternative in mass vaccination campaigns, " the research team

reported in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Meningitis epidemics occur nearly every year across a large part of

sub-Saharan Africa spanning Senegal to Ethiopia, dubbed the " Meningitis Belt. "

Meningitis infects the lining of the brain and spinal cord and can

cause high fever, blood poisoning and brain damage, as well as death

in up to 10 percent of cases.

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Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Childhood Disease & Homeopathy Email classes start in December 2008

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