Implementation of a national electronic reporting system in Lithuania.

Electronic reporting systems improve the quality and timeliness of the surveillance of communicable diseases. The aim of this paper is to present the process of the implementation and introduction of an electronic reporting system for the surveillance of communicable diseases in Lithuania. The project which started in 2002 was performed in collaboration between Lithuania and Sweden and was facilitated by the parallel process of adapting the surveillance system to European Union (EU) standards.

A clinical trial examining the effect of increased total CRM(197) carrier protein dose on the antibody response to Haemophilus influenzae type b CRM(197) conjugate vaccine.

CRM(197) is a carrier protein in certain conjugate vaccines. When multiple conjugate vaccines with the same carrier protein are administered simultaneously, reduced response to vaccines and/or antigens related to the carrier protein may occur. This study examined responses of infants who, in addition to diphtheria toxoid/tetanus toxoid/acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) received either diphtheria CRM(197)-based Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (HbOC) or HbOC and a diphtheria CRM(197)-based combination 9-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine/meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine.

Immunogenicity and safety of a combined hepatitis A and B vaccine administered concomitantly with either a measles-mumps-rubella or a diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine mixed with a Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine in infants aged 12-18 months.

Two studies were undertaken to investigate the concomitant administration of combined hepatitis A/B vaccine with a diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine mixed with Haemophilus influenzae vaccine (DTPa-IPV/Hib), or with a measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR), during the second year of life. On completion of the vaccination course, all subjects were seropositive or seroprotected against all antigens except for one subject who was seronegative for anti-PT. Seropositivity and seroprotection rates for all other antibodies were comparable to reference values for each vaccine component, indicating that the immunogenicity of MMR, DTPa-IPV/Hib and combined hepatitis A/B vaccines is not impaired by co-administration.

Antibody titres after primary and booster vaccination of infants and young children with a virosomal hepatitis A vaccine (Epaxal).

To evaluate the immunogenicity and tolerability of Epaxal in infants and children, 30 infants (aged 6-7 months) and 30 children (aged 5-7 years) received a single intramuscular dose of the aluminium-free virosomal hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccine Epaxal and a booster dose after 12 months. Anti-HAV antibody titres were measured at baseline (before injection), at 1 and 12 months after primary vaccination, and 1 month after the booster vaccination. Sixteen evaluable infants had maternal anti-HAV antibodies at baseline.

Neutralization activity and persistence of antibodies induced in response to vaccination with a novel mumps strain, RIT 4385.

Background: We have previously shown that a new measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, Priorix, with a novel mumps component elicits anti-mumps antibody titers comparable to the licensed M-M-R II vaccine.

Materials And Methods: To ensure that these antibodies had neutralizing activity against wild-type mumps virus, sera were prepared 2 and 18 months after vaccination of 12-24-month-old infants with either Priorix or M-M-R II and ELISA antibody titers and neutralizing activity were determined.

Results: After 2 months, Priorix and M-M-R II vaccines elicited comparable ELISA antibody titers and neutralizing activity.