Vacina inativada contra a hepatite A: revisäo da literatura e consideraçöes sobre seu uso / Inactivated hepatitis A virus vaccine: a review of literature and considerations on its utilization

O desenvolvimento, licenciamento e comercializaçäo recentes de uma vacina inativada contra a hepatite A (VIHA) têm possibilitado a obtençäo de imunizaçäo ativa, segura e provavelmente duradoura contra essa doença. Estudos conduzidos em países desenvolvidos demonstram sua utilidade clínica na prevençäo da hepatite A(HA) em viajantes susceptíveis que se dirigem a áreas de alta endemicidade, em crianças pré-escolares e trabalhadores de creches, além de avaliar o uso pós-exposiçäo e em surtos epidêmicos. Os autores enfocam aspectos epidemiológicos atuais da hepatite A em diferentes regiöes visando, através do conhecimento da epidemiologia da doença, esclarecer a utilidade que a VIHA teria no controle dessa doença nos países em desenvolvimento, especialmente no Brasil. Com base na sua eficácia, segurança e imunogenicidade, a VIHA se mostra de extremo valor a nível de proteçäo individual. Porém, devido ao pouco tempo de uso clínico desta vacina, näo encontramos disponíveis recomendaçöes formais para o seu uso nos países em desenvolvimento, especialmente a nível de Saúde Pública. Dados epidemiológicos atualizados sobre a HA nas diversas regiöes brasileiras säo essenciais para o desenvolvimento de uma estratégia racional de imunizaçäo

Evaluation of potency of inactivated cholera vaccine by mouse protection assay & antibody induction method.

Twenty one batches of whole cell inactivated cholera vaccine manufactured at Central Research Institute, Kasauli were evaluated for potency by mouse protection assay (MPA) and antibody induction method. In the antibody induction method the sera of immunized mice were screened for the presence of antibodies against Vibrio cholerae by microagglutination (MA) test and IgG ELISA. The number of organisms estimated by MPA were correlated with agglutinating and neutralizing antibodies against individual serotypes by MA and ELISA respectively. Correlation coefficient(r) of 0.692 and 0.815 were observed for the titres evaluated by MA and ELISA when compared with standard MPA method for the serotype Ogawa. Similarly r values of 0.925 and 0.849 were observed for titres evaluated by MA and ELISA when compared with standard MPA method for the serotype Inaba. Antibody induction method can be as an alternative method for determining the potency of inactivated cholera vaccine.

Comparative stabilities of glutaraldehyde & heat inactivated pertussis vaccine components of adsorbed DPT vaccine with different preservatives.

The stability of pertussis component (glutaraldehyde or heat inactivated pertussis vaccine) of the adsorbed diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) vaccine preserved in thiomersal or benzethonium chloride was studied at 4-8 degrees C and 35 degrees C for 30 days. The potency of pertussis component of adsorbed DPT vaccine preserved with benzethonium chloride was lower than that preserved with thiomersal. After the initial loss of potency of pertussis component in the benzethonium chloride during blending, the stability of potency of pertussis component at 4-8 degrees C and 35 degrees C for 30 days was similar for vaccines preserved with either benzethonium chloride or thiomersal. The stability of both types of pertussis components inactivated with glutaraldehyde or heat was also similar at both the temperatures for 30 days.