Pneumococcal Vaccination Can Prevent Deaths Of 1.6 Million Babies

By Wan Shahara Ahmad Ghazali KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Pneumococcal disease causes the deaths of 1.6 million children around the world every year. Ironically, the disease is easily preventable through vaccination. Pneumococcal disease is a group of diseases caused by the pneumonia streptococcus bacteria, which causes sepsis (infection in the blood), meningitis (infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and the spinal cord), pneumonia (lung infection) and otitis media (middle ear infection). The World Health Organisation (WHO) found the disease to kill more children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. The death of children younger than five years old to the disease can be prevented if parents are aware of the threat of pneumococcal disease and have their children vaccinated early. RESULTS OF INFECTION There are four main results of infection --meningitis, bacteremia or sepsis, pneumonia and otitis media. Meningitis is a pneumococcal disease with the worst repercussions. Children, particularly those younger than five, are at high risk of either dying or suffering from brain damage as a result of the infection. Meningitis can also result in lifelong blindness or deafness. Every two minutes, an Asian child dies from the infection. Those who contract meningitis usually show symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, seizures, high fever and, in worst-case scenarios, will fall into a coma. Studies show that those most prone to meningitis are babies under 12 months, with 10 cases for every 100,000 children. If the disease causes otitis media, the eardrums will swell and cause extreme pain to the patient, fever and sleep disturbances. Pneumonia symptoms include sudden high fever, chills, chest pains and difficulty breathing. The fatality rate from this infection is quite high, between five and seven percent. EARLY PREVENTION Vaccinating a baby as early as possible is the most effective way to prevent pneumococcal infection. And, according to WHO, it is more cost-effective than treatment. This is made clear by Consultant Pediatrician Dr Musa Mohd Nordin, who wants the public to take a stand in protecting the lives of children from pneumococcal infection. Relating his personal experience, he said he once ran while cradling a baby with high fever and vomiting from his clinic at the Damansara Specialist Hospital to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), but the baby died of pneumococcal meningitis 10 hours later. "Every child deserves to grow up healthy and protected from pneumococcal infection," said Dr Musa, who wants effective prevention methods made available to all Malaysian children. "Symptoms of the pneumococcal infection are very similar to the common cold or fever, making early detection difficult. Unfortunately, only one of five babies receives the antibiotic treatment needed. "Therefore, three doses of the vaccine is the most cost-effective and reasonable way of protecting the health of your child," he said. COST OF VACCINATION Dr Musa, who is also the founder of the Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal Disease Prevention (ASAP), is hoping that pneumococcal vaccination can be included in the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and be made compulsory for all Malaysian babies. He said the Malaysian Pediatric Association is still working hard to lobby the Health Ministry to agree to the proposal. If they succeed and there is high demand for the vaccine, he believes that the price of the vaccine will be lowered. For now, a dose of what is known as the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) costs RM200. A baby needs three doses over an interval of time. The vaccine can be given to children under five years of age, but babies under two are more at risk. HERD IMMUNITY Interestingly, said Dr Musa, the vaccine has the properties of "herd immunity," which means that adults close to a vaccinated baby would also become immune to the disease. "In the United States, the number of cases of pneumococcal disease among children has been lowered. Even the number of adult patients fell several years after PCV vaccination for children was made compulsory," he said. At least 50 countries, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Macau, have chosen to include the pneumococcal vaccination into their NIP, for the benefit of their children. Pneumococcal disease can attack children and adults, but not everyone exposed to it will fall sick. Persons carrying the s.pneumonia bacterium naturally in their nasal cavities can spread the bacteria through coughing, sneezing or exhaling. There are two highly vulnerable age groups: children under five years of age and people aged 55 and above. Babies under two face the highest risk, especially if they have not been breastfed, are exposed to cigarette smoke or are sent to daycare. SPREAD THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION Pneumococcal disease remains a serious threat to child health that is easily preventable. Unfortunately, many Malaysian children have yet to be protected from the risk of death from the disease. Today, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer in Malaysia is working with several volunteer bodies such as ASAP, Pitter Patter, parenting2u.com and SJ Echo to launch the website www.abc4pneumococcal.com. The website is aimed at raising public awareness of pneumococcal disease. It also calls on parents to ensure every child in Malaysia is protected against the killer through infant vaccination. Visitors can also sign a support pledge on the website, endorsing the bid to include the pneumococcal vaccine as part of the NIP. -- BERNAMA