Pneumococcal antibody concentrations and carriage of pneumococci more than 3 years after infant immunization with a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Background: A 9-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-9), given in a 3-dose schedule, protected Gambian children against pneumococcal disease and reduced nasopharyngeal carriage of pneumococci of vaccine serotypes. We have studied the effect of a booster or delayed primary dose of 7-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) on antibody and nasopharyngeal carriage of pneumococci 3-4 years after primary vaccination.

Methodology/principal Findings: We recruited a subsample of children who had received 3 doses of either PCV-9 or placebo (controls) into this follow-up study.

Immunogenicity and safety of a meningococcal A conjugate vaccine in Africans.

Background: Group A meningococci are the source of major epidemics of meningitis in Africa. An affordable, highly immunogenic meningococcal A conjugate vaccine is needed.

Methods: We conducted two studies in Africa to evaluate a new MenA conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT).

Prospects and challenges with introduction of a mono-valent meningococcal conjugate vaccine in Africa.

Epidemic meningococcal meningitis is a priority disease for prevention and control in Africa. The current World Health Organization (WHO) approach to the control of meningitis epidemics is based on early detection of cases and emergency vaccination of the population at risk with meningococcal polysaccharide (PS) vaccines. But this is a tall order for the developing nations of Africa where experts operate from an ineffective health system.

Household decision-making process and childhood cerebral malaria in The Gambia.

Mortality from childhood cerebral malaria remains unacceptably high in endemic regions. This survey was conducted between June and December 2001 among 69 primary caregivers of children admitted for cerebral malaria in Bansang Hospital, Central River Division (CRD), The Gambia to describe decision-making process at the family level that could have impact on malaria mortality. Thirty two percent of children presented in coma after 24 h of onset of illness.

Dissociation between tuberculin skin test and in vitro IFN-gamma responses following neonatal BCG vaccination.

The in vitro IFN-gamma response to tuberculin was recently proposed as a correlate of vaccine-induced immunity to tuberculosis. IFN-gamma also plays a central role in the tuberculin skin test (TST), commonly used as a marker of mycobacterial infection. However, the use of TST as a marker of immunity to tuberculosis is limited for reasons ascribed mainly to interference by environmental mycobacteria.

The epidemiology and consequences of maternal malaria: a review of immunological basis.

Millions of women who become pregnant in malaria-endemic areas are at increased risk of contracting malaria infection that jeopardises the outcome of pregnancy. The complication of this infection for mother and baby are considerable. In absence of any other reason, it was thought that the increased risk of infection during pregnancy was related to suppression of pre-existing malaria immunity.

Influence of placental malaria infection on foetal outcome in the Gambia: twenty years after Ian Mcgregor.

Malaria infection in pregnancy has serious health consequences among mothers and offspring. The influence of placental malaria infection on foetal outcome was studied in a Gambian rural setting where few pregnant women take antimalarial chemoprophylaxis. During July-December 1997, three hundred thirteen mother-newborn pairs (singletons only) were consecutively recruited into a study of the effects of placental malaria infection on the outcome of pregnancy.