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Biomedical subjects

F E Andre

Publications and source records attributed to F E Andre.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Safety and immunogenicity of hepatitis A vaccine in healthy children.

The immunogenicity and reactogenicity of an inactivated hepatitis A (HA) vaccine in children were investigated. One hundred three healthy children who lacked antibody to HA virus (anti-HA virus), aged between 3 months and 6 years 8 months, were enrolled in this study. They received three doses of 360 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay units of HA vaccine in a 0-, 1- and 6-month schedule. Blood tests for aminotransferase and anti-HA virus were performed 7 days before and 1, 6 and 7 months after the first dose. Anti-HA virus was tested by radioimmunoassay and also by enzyme immunoassay for titer determination. The seroconversion rates measured by enzyme immunoassay were 95.1% (98 of 103) at Month 1 and 100% at Months 6 and 7. Nine percent (28 of 309) of the injections were followed by local symptoms, usually mild soreness and swelling at the site of injection, and 12% (37 of 309) by minor general symptoms. We conclude that HA vaccine is highly immunogenic and safe in children. It may replace immunoglobulin as an effective method to prevent HA virus infection in children. We also suggest that the HA vaccine be administered to children in endemic areas.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1990

Measles, mumps and rubella immunization at nine months in a developing country.

The antibody responses and reactogenicity of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in 9-month-old and 15-month-old black children in South Africa were compared. The antibody response to the measles component was marginally better in the older group, but no differences were observed in the response to the mumps and rubella components. Reactogenicity was similar in the two age groups. Therefore it is possible that a trivalent measles, mumps and rubella vaccine can safely and effectively replace routine measles immunization at 9 months of age in this population. Whether routine immunization policy should incorporate such a vaccine depends on the extent of acceptance of measles vaccination. In urban populations of developing countries with high rates of measles immunization, routine vaccination at 9 months might interrupt circulating wild type rubella and provide sufficient herd immunity to protect susceptible women of childbearing age. It also should decrease significantly the complications associated with wild type mumps infection. The replacement of measles vaccine by a trivalent vaccine may be very cost-effective.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1989

Protection of Peruvian children against rotavirus diarrhea of specific serotypes by one, two, or three doses of the RIT 4237 attenuated bovine rotavirus vaccine.

A randomized placebo-controlled double-blind field trial of RIT 4237 attenuated rotavirus vaccine in Lima, Peru, evaluated the protection against diarrheal illness by one, two, or three doses of vaccine. There were 391 children, 2-18 months old, studied for the occurrence of diarrhea during the 18 months after vaccination. Three doses of the vaccine provided 40% protection against any diarrheal illness associated with rotavirus alone but 58%-75%; protection against the more severe rotaviral illnesses. The vaccine appeared to be more efficacious when it was administered to children in the first year of life. Three doses provided up to 89% efficacy against more severe diseases due to serotype 1 rotavirus, and one dose also afforded significant protection. The protection was lower, even with three doses, against serotype 2 rotavirus. This vaccine trial has provided important insights on how such trials should be conducted and on the serotype-specificity of protection from rotavirus infection. Future vaccines should be able to protect against severe disease caused by all rotavirus serotypes and must work in developing countries where rotavirus is the most important cause of diarrheal mortality.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1988

Interference of oral poliovirus vaccine on RIT 4237 oral rotavirus vaccine.

A vaccination trial, performed on 86 3-month-old infants, has shown that the ability of the RIT 4237 live attenuated rotavirus strain to induce seroconversion is dramatically reduced when administered with live poliovirus vaccine. In a subsequent trial performed on 93 infants the attempt to overcome the poliovirus interference by administering two doses of associated vaccines was unsuccessful. No interference by the RIT 4237 strain on live attenuated polioviruses was observed.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1988

Clinical experience with a recombinant DNA hepatitis B vaccine.

The clinical testing of EngerixR-B, the hepatitis B vaccine produced by SmithKline Biologicals using recombinant DNA technology, started in February 1984. Since extensive pre-clinical laboratory work had established that the polypeptide (HBsAg) expressed in genetically engineered yeast cells was after purification--physically, chemically and antigenically similar to the viral surface antigen particles found in the blood of chronic carriers, the aims of the clinical trials were to compare the safety, reactogenicity, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of yeast-derived (YDV) and plasma-derived (PDV) vaccines. By September 1987, 89 studies had been initiated involving a total of 10,545 subjects aged from birth to 82 years. This extensive experience has established that the risk of hypersensitivity to yeast-derived contaminants is negligible since no hypersensitivity reaction has been observed in any vaccinee, the incidence and severity of local reactions have not increased after repeated inoculations and no anti-yeast antibodies were produced by vaccination. Reactogenicity has been comparable to that of PDV's consisting essentially of transient mild irritation at the site of injection presumably caused by the aluminium hydroxide used as adjuvant. The anti-HBs responses to YDV and PDV's were quantitatively (seroconversion rates, peak antibody levels and persistence) as well as qualitatively (epitope specificity and affinity) similar. The expected protective effect of the immune response to the vaccine was confirmed in a challenge study in chimpanzees and in vaccinated human populations (male homosexuals, institutionalized mentally retarded patients, neonates of carrier women) with historically a high infection rate.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Combined vaccination with live oral polio vaccine and the bovine rotavirus RIT 4237 strain.

A clinical trial was carried out in 3-month-old infants to assess whether concomitant oral administration of live polio and rotavirus RIT 4237 vaccines would reduce their immunogenicities as a result of mutual interference. One hundred and sixty breast-fed male and female infants were randomly allocated to four study groups to receive in a blind fashion the poliovirus vaccine, the RIT 4237 vaccine, a combination of both vaccines or a placebo preparation. Antibody titres were measured in pre- and postvaccination serum samples by the ELISA test and the neutralizing antibody test (NT) for rotavirus and by the NT for polioviruses types 1 and 3. The percentage of subjects with immune responses to rotavirus in the placebo group was low, indicating the absence of wild rotavirus circulation in the population. Antibody responses against polio types 1 and 3 were found in about a quarter of the infants receiving a placebo because the study was performed during a polio vaccination campaign when vaccine viruses are known to circulate. The results showed that 73% of seroconversion was obtained when RIT 4237 was administered alone and that the responses to polioviruses types 1 and 3 were good. However, simultaneous administration of polio and RIT 4237 vaccines caused a significant reduction of the antibody response to rotavirus but not to polioviruses types 1 and 3.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1985

Worldwide experience with the Oka-strain live varicella vaccine.

Sufficient safety and efficacy data have been obtained on a live varicella vaccine (Varilrix, Smith Kline-RIT) derived from the Oka-strain attenuated varicella-zoster virus to justify its recent licensure in several European countries for use in special indication groups. This review article summarizes the data obtained in Japan, Europe, and the United States. In addition, a survey of the published literature on clinical studies performed on as yet unlicensed Oka-strain varicella vaccines produced by the Biken Institute and Merck Sharp & Dohme is presented.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1985

Stimulation of specific immune response to varicella antigens in the elderly with varicella vaccine.

Ageing is associated with several immune defects that probably lead to the increased incidence of zoster observed after the 5th decade. In a double-blind study to assess an eventual stimulation of the specific immune response against the varicella-zoster virus by vaccination, either the Oka-strain live varicella vaccine or a placebo was administered to 30 healthy volunteers over 70 years of age, after a 4-week pretreatment period with either zinc acetate as an immunostimulant or a placebo. Specific skin delayed hypersensitivity and antibody levels measured by the fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen method were recorded at the start of the pretreatment period, just before vaccination, and two weeks or one month after vaccination. Initially decreased delayed-type responses to varicella antigens were observed when compared with reported values for younger subjects despite normal levels of skin reactivity to common bacterial antigens (Multitest). The varicella-specific responses were markedly boosted in the 3 groups by repeated skin testing. As a result, the effects of zinc pretreatment and vaccination were masked. On the other hand, treatment with zinc acetate was shown to increase tuberculin delayed reactions. Preexisting specific antibody titres were elevated and no significant changes occurred in the 3 study groups. The data suggest that it is not the potential for an immune response that is decreased in the elderly but rather the speed of the response. This might be the defect responsible for the increased incidence of zoster in this age group.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors affecting antibody response of newborns to repeated administrations of the rotavirus vaccine RIT 4237.

The safety and immunogenicity of repeated doses of RIT 4237, an oral live attenuated rotavirus vaccine of bovine origin, as well as the influence of gastric acidity and maternal antibodies on the vaccine "take rate" were studied in newborns. The vaccine was given orally on the first day of life, at 1 month, and at 2 months of age. Fifty-seven newborns entered the study but only 36 completed the trial. No adverse reaction was observed after vaccination. Immune responses were evaluated by titrating pre- and postvaccination serum antibodies to RIT 4237 by a neutralization technique. Eight of 43 (18.6%) tested infants responded to the first dose of vaccine. Subsequently another six and 11 infants responded to the second and third dose, respectively. The total cumulative response after the third dose was 23 of 36 vaccinees (63.9%). The geometric mean neutralizing antibody titers was lower in responders than in nonresponders before the first dose of vaccine indicating that maternal antibodies interfered with vaccine "take." Since the RIT 4237 strain is acid sensitive, gastric pH was measured at the time of each vaccination. Mean pH values in responders were not significantly different than those found in nonresponders. Therefore, vaccine failures cannot be due to inactivation of the rotavirus vaccine in the stomach but instead they can be attributed to high levels of maternal antibodies. At each vaccination, additional subjects seroconverted. Therefore, a multiple dose scheme is advisable to obtain an optimal immune response.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Safety and immunogenicity of hepatitis A vaccine in healthy adult volunteers.

The immunogenicity and adverse reaction of an inactivated hepatitis A (HA) vaccine were investigated. Sixty healthy adult volunteers who lacked antibody to HA virus (anti-HAV) received three doses of vaccine containing 720 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) units (EL.U) according to a 0, 1 and 6 month schedule. Blood tests for serum liver enzymes and anti-HAV were performed at screening 7 days prior to, and 1, 6 and 7 months after the first dose. Anti-HAV was tested by radio immunoassay and ELISA for titre determination. The seroconversion rates measured by ELISA were 98.3% (59/60) at months 1 and 6 and 100% at month 7. Sixty-one per cent (109/180) of the documented injections were followed by local symptoms, essentially mild soreness at the site of injection; and 22.2% (40/180) by minor general symptoms including malaise, fatigue and lethargy. It is concluded that HA vaccine is highly immunogenic and safe. It may replace immunoglobulin as an effective method of preventing HA virus infection in adults.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immunogenicity of an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine in healthy children: two years' follow-up.

To investigate the long-term immunogenicity of an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine in children, 100 healthy children, aged between 1 and 7 years old and all lacking the antibody to hepatitis A (HA) virus, were enrolled in this trial. They received 3 doses of strain HM 175 HA vaccine with 360 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) units at 0, 1 and 6 months, respectively. Blood sampling for antibody and aminotransferases was performed 7 days before, then 1, 6, 7, 12, and 24 months after the first dose. The titers of antibody to HA virus were tested by radioimmunoassay and ELISA methods. All subjects became ELISA seropositive at Month 6 after two doses of vaccine. Except for one boy, 99 remained seropositive at Month 24, with a geometric mean titer of 1,148 mIU/ml. Antibody titers for females were significantly higher than those for males throughout the follow-up period. It was concluded that the inactivated HA vaccine used in the present trial was immunogenic and safe in children below seven years old. The vaccine-induced antibody persisted for at least two years in 99% of the vaccinees.

Child↗