Sustained and indirect effects of PCV10 reduced-dose schedules on pneumococcal carriage in Viet Nam: a long-term follow-up of a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

In 30 seconds

This long-term follow-up of a cluster-randomised controlled trial in Nha Trang, Viet Nam, assessed the effects of reduced-dose PCV10 schedules on pneumococcal carriage 5.5 years post-vaccination. The study found that the 1p+1 schedule remained non-inferior to standard three-dose schedules for vaccine-type carriage in infants and toddlers, with a prevalence of 0.7% in infants and 0.9% in toddlers for the 1p+1 group.

Key findings

• The prevalence of PCV10-type carriage in infants was 0.7% for the 1p+1 group.
• The 1p+1 schedule was non-inferior to three-dose schedules with a difference of -1.2 pp for infants.
• The proportion of carriers with PCV10-type serotypes declined from 52.1% to 7.6% in infants.
• The 0p+1 schedule met non-inferiority in seven of eight comparisons.

Why it matters

Understanding the long-term effectiveness of reduced-dose pneumococcal vaccination schedules is crucial for public health strategies, especially in resource-limited settings. This study supports the viability of less intensive vaccination regimens while maintaining control over pneumococcal carriage.