Vaccination competence.

Objective: Vaccinating is one of the most significant methods of health promotion in the world. The purpose of this study was to describe vaccination competence from the perspective of professionals, clients, and students.

Design: A cross-sectional interview study.

National immunization program in Finland.

In the national immunization program, all Finnish children are vaccinated against 9 infectious diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, severe infections due to Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, mumps, rubella and influenza. In addition, vaccination against tuberculosis, hepatitis A- and B-, influenza or tick-borne encephalitis are given to those at risk of contracting the diseases. More than 95% of children are vaccinated according the optimal schedule.

Development of antibodies against pneumococcal proteins alpha-enolase, immunoglobulin A1 protease, streptococcal lipoprotein rotamase A, and putative proteinase maturation protein A in relation to pneumococcal carriage and Otitis Media.

Surface associated pneumococcal proteins alpha-enolase (Eno), immunoglobulin A1 protease (Iga), streptococcal lipoprotein rotamase A (SlrA), and putative proteinase maturation protein A (PpmA) have potential as candidates for future protein-based anti-pneumococcal vaccines. The immunogenicity of these proteins were studied in a cohort of 329 children during their first two years of life. During the first recorded episode of otitis media, acute and convalescent phase sera were available from 151 children.

Anti-PsaA and the risk of pneumococcal AOM and carriage.

Pneumococcal surface adhesin A (PsaA) is one of the common protein antigens of Streptococcus pneumoniae investigated as a possible vaccine candidate on the basis of studies in experimental animal models. The relation between the serum anti-PsaA concentration collected at 6, 12 and 18 months of age and the risk of pneumococcal carriage and acute otitis media (AOM) in the following 6 months was evaluated in 329 children of the Finnish Otitis Media (FinOM) Cohort Study. A higher anti-PsaA concentration at all three time points studied was found to predict a higher risk of pneumococcal carriage 6 months later.

Do antibodies to pneumococcal surface adhesin a prevent pneumococcal involvement in acute otitis media?

Antibodies to the pneumococcal (Pnc) surface protein PsaA are immunogenic and protective in experimental animal models, but their role in protection from Pnc disease in humans is not known. In the present study, the ability of antibodies to PsaA to prevent the progression of Pnc carriage to Pnc acute otitis media (Pnc AOM) was evaluated. Antibodies to PsaA were measured in acute-phase serum samples of children with AOM and with Streptococcus pneumoniae cultured from the nasopharynx.