Routine immunization coverage in Pakistan: a survey of children under 1 year of age in community-based vaccination areas.

Pakistan is one of two countries in which poliovirus remains endemic. Considering the high number of children born every year, reaching and vaccinating new birth cohorts by improving routine immunization coverage in children <1 year of age is crucial to halting virus transmission. In 2015, a community-based vaccination (CBV) strategy, using local community members to enhance vaccine acceptance and improve routine immunization service delivery, was introduced in areas of Pakistan that have never interrupted poliovirus transmission.

Needle-free injectors for mass administration of fractional dose inactivated poliovirus vaccine in Karachi, Pakistan: A survey of caregiver and vaccinator acceptability.

The first large-scale vaccination campaign using needle-free jet injectors to administer fractional doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (fIPV) was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan, in February 2019. Data on acceptability of jet injectors were collected from 610 vaccinators and 4898 caregivers during the first four days of the campaign. Of those with prior needle and syringe experience, both vaccinators and caregivers expressed a strong preference for jet injectors (578/592 [97.

Evidence for interventions to prevent and control obesity among children and adolescents: its applicability to India.

Childhood obesity is on the rise worldwide and its increasing prevalence in low and middle income countries is well-known. Obesity interventions have the potential to prevent adverse health outcomes; however, large gaps in research and knowledge about the efficacy and sustainability of such interventions remain. The objectives of this article were to review the evidence for interventions to prevent and control obesity among children and adolescents, evaluate their applicability in India, and discuss the challenges to sustain such interventions.

Randomized trial of type 1 and type 3 oral monovalent poliovirus vaccines in newborns in Africa.

Background: The Global Polio Eradication Initiative aims to eradicate wild poliovirus by the end of 2012. Therefore, more-immunogenic polio vaccines, including monovalent oral poliovirus vaccines (mOPVs), are needed for supplemental immunization activities. This trial assessed the immunogenicity of monovalent types 1 and 3, compared with that of trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (tOPV), in South Africa.

Monovalent type 1 oral poliovirus vaccine among infants in India: report of two randomized double-blind controlled clinical trials.

Background: To provide the polio eradication initiative with more immunogenic oral poliovirus vaccines (OPVs), we evaluated newly developed monovalent type 1 OPV (mOPV1) among infants in India.

Methods: Two double-blind randomized controlled clinical trials compared two mOPV1s (mOPV1 A and mOPV1 B) versus trivalent OPV (tOPV X) given at birth (trial I), or assessed two products of higher-potency mOPV1 (mOPV1 C and mOPV1 D) versus regular-potency mOPV1 (mOPV1 B) or tOPV Y given at birth and at 30 days (trial II).

Results: In trial I, 597 newborns were enrolled, 66 withdrawn or excluded, leaving 531 (88.

Immunogenicity of bivalent types 1 and 3 oral poliovirus vaccine: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial.

Background: Poliovirus types 1 and 3 co-circulate in poliomyelitis-endemic countries. We aimed to assess the immunogenicity of a novel bivalent types 1 and 3 oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV).

Methods: We did a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial to assess the superiority of monovalent type 2 OPV (mOPV2), mOPV3, or bOPV over trivalent OPV (tOPV), and the non-inferiority of bivalent vaccine compared with mOPV1 and mOPV3.

Fractional doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine in Oman.

Background: We conducted a clinical trial of fractional doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine administered to infants in Oman, in order to evaluate strategies for making the vaccine affordable for use in developing countries.

Methods: We compared fractional doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (0.1 ml, representing one fifth of a full dose) given intradermally with the use of a needle-free jet injector device, with full doses of vaccine given intramuscularly, with respect to immunogenicity and reactogenicity.

Monovalent type 1 oral poliovirus vaccine in newborns.

Background: In 1988, the World Health Assembly resolved to eradicate poliomyelitis. Although substantial progress toward this goal has been made, eradication remains elusive. In 2004, the World Health Organization called for the development of a potentially more immunogenic monovalent type 1 oral poliovirus vaccine.