Cosmos
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By Cosmos
Vaccines tested on First Nations kids in the NT to try to arrest alarming rates of hearing loss have shown great promise, according to the team behind the trials.
Australian First Nations children have the highest reported rates of otitis media (middle ear infection) in the world, predominantly caused by the pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi).
“All young children should be able to hear, listen, speak and learn to communicate during their early years of life,” says Amanda Leach, who leads the Ear Health Research Program at the Menzies School of Health Research.
“However, due to the devastating impacts of chronic otitis media, First Nations children experience life-long disadvantage.
“Almost every Australian First Nations child living in remote regions of the Northern Territory experiences chronic otitis media in their early years of life. It is crucial that this illness is prevented or treated early, to reduce hearing loss, and subsequent impacts on learning and development.”
Leach is lead author of a new paper that looked at the role 2 vaccines have in preventing hearing loss due to OM. Randomised control trials were carried out between March 2013 and September 2018, on 261 infants who underwent 6-monthly hearing assessments from age 12 to 36 months.
The trials revealed that of two vaccines, known as +P PCV13 and +S PHiD-CV10, the first provided better protection against hearing loss.
At baseline the prevalence of hearing loss was 78% (25/32) in the +P group and 71% (20/28) in the +S group at baseline. This declined to 52% (28/54) in the +P groups and 56% (33/59) in the +S group at age 36 months.
Senior author of the study and hospital clinician, Peter Morris, says the results of this study are extremely helpful.
“Many people thought that the +S vaccine would be better, but the prevalence of moderate hearing loss halved and normal hearing doubled in those who received the +P vaccine (PVC13) when compared to the +S group. This trend continued at each 6 month follow up, until the child reached 3 years of age, but with a smaller difference.”
PCV13 is currently provided for free through the Northern Territory childhood vaccination schedule.
“We welcome the opportunity to further evaluate the impact of these vaccines. Clinical trials are the best way to understand their effectiveness and to help stop this preventable disease in its tracks.”
The research is published in the journal PLOS Medicine.
