Adult immunization practices, challenges and opportunities in Central America and the Caribbean: Advisory board proceedings.

As individuals age, they become increasingly prone to infectious diseases, many of which are vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Adult immunization has become a public health priority in the modern era, yet VPDs vaccination rates for adults are low worldwide. In Central America and Caribbean, national recommendations and vaccination practices in adults differ across countries, and adult vaccination coverage data are limited.

Efficacy of 10-valent pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine against acute otitis media and nasopharyngeal carriage in Panamanian children - A randomized controlled trial.

We previously reported 10-valent pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) efficacy in a double-blind randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00466947) against various diseases, including acute otitis media (AOM). Here, we provide further analyses.

Impact of Hepatitis A vaccination with a two-dose schedule in Panama: Results of epidemiological surveillance and time trend analysis.

Purpose: In April 2007, Panama introduced Hepatitis A universal vaccination using a two-dose schedule (Havrix(®)junior; GSK Vaccines, Belgium). We assessed the impact of this hepatitis A vaccine three years after it was recommended for universal mass vaccination in Panama.

Materials And Methods: Hepatitis A vaccination impact was assessed using two different approaches.

Etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of middle ear fluid pathogens in Costa Rican children with otitis media before and after the introduction of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the National Immunization Program: acute otitis media microbiology in Costa Rican children.

Acute otitis media (AOM) microbiology was evaluated in children after 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) introduction in Costa Rica (private sector, 2004; National Immunization Program, 2009). This was a combined prospective and retrospective study conducted in a routine clinical setting in San José, Costa Rica. In the prospective part of the study, which was conducted post-PCV7 introduction (2010-2012), standard bacteriological procedures were used to evaluate the etiology and serotype distribution of middle ear fluid samples collected by tympanocentesis or otorrhea from children aged 3-59 months diagnosed with AOM.

Efficacy of pneumococcal nontypable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) in young Latin American children: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: The relationship between pneumococcal conjugate vaccine-induced antibody responses and protection against community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and acute otitis media (AOM) is unclear. This study assessed the impact of the ten-valent pneumococcal nontypable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) on these end points. The primary objective was to demonstrate vaccine efficacy (VE) in a per-protocol analysis against likely bacterial CAP (B-CAP: radiologically confirmed CAP with alveolar consolidation/pleural effusion on chest X-ray, or non-alveolar infiltrates and C-reactive protein ≥ 40 µg/ml); other protocol-specified outcomes were also assessed.

Non-capsulated and capsulated Haemophilus influenzae in children with acute otitis media in Venezuela: a prospective epidemiological study.

Background: Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Streptococcus pneumoniae are major causes of bacterial acute otitis media (AOM). Data regarding AOM are limited in Latin America. This is the first active surveillance in a private setting in Venezuela to characterize the bacterial etiology of AOM in children < 5 years of age.

Impact of rotavirus vaccination on childhood gastroenteritis-related mortality and hospital discharges in Panama.

Background: Rotavirus vaccination was introduced in Panama in March 2006. This study was carried out in order to describe the trends in gastroenteritis-related (GER) hospitalizations and mortality in children <5 years of age during the pre- and post-vaccination periods.

Methods: Data from the Expanded Program on Immunization (Ministry of Health) were used to calculate vaccine coverage.

Cerebrospinal fluid and plasma concentrations of proinflammatory mediators in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children.

Background: The pathogenesis of HIV encephalopathy is poorly understood especially in children. Studies suggest that HIV replication and the release of proinflammatory mediators in the central nervous system contribute to the pathogenesis of HIV dementia in adults.

Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma samples from 23 HIV-infected children were longitudinally analyzed at Weeks 0, 8, 16 and 48 for HIV RNA and concentrations of the following proinflammatory mediators: monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha, regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), macrophage-inflammatory protein (MIP)-1-alpha, MIP-1-beta and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9).

Forty-eight-week evaluation of lopinavir/ritonavir, a new protease inhibitor, in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children.

Background: Lopinavir/ritonavir has demonstrated antiviral activity in the HIV-infected adult.

Subjects: The objective of this study was to investigate a liquid coformulation of lopinavir/ritonavir, in combination with reverse transcriptase inhibitors, in HIV-infected children.

Methods: One hundred antiretroviral (ARV)-naive and ARV-experienced, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-naive children between 6 months and 12 years of age participated in this Phase I/II, open label, multicenter trial.

Effect of combination antiretroviral therapy on cerebrospinal fluid HIV RNA, HIV resistance, and clinical manifestations of encephalopathy.

Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of treatment with abacavir/lamivudine/zidovudine versus lamivudine/zidovudine on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA and clinical manifestations of HIV encephalopathy in children.

Study Design: HIV-infected children 7 months to 10 years of age (n = 23) were studied. CSF and plasma were obtained at baseline and weeks 8, 16, and 48.