New Vaccines and Vaccine Combinations
The recommended immunization schedule has changed substantially in recent years and is likely to continue changing, as they develop new and more effective vaccines.
Among the new vaccines have been used for should be highlighted:
Acellular DPT vaccine
Most adverse reactions to conventional DPT fraction are due to the pertussis (whooping cough) part of the DPT vaccine. Currently there is an acellular pertussis vaccine (instead of the normal whole-cell), along with tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (DTP acellular). Acellular DPT vaccine has been accepted to replace the conventional DPT, whole cells.
The first dose is given at two months, the second at four and the third, six. The first booster at 18 months and the second booster between 4 and 6 years. Do not apply after 7 years of age. Children who received their first dose of DPT vaccine may continue his scheme with the acellular vaccine. The main advantage of acellular vaccines is that the secondary reactions (fever, local pain, crying, etc) are much lower than with the whole DPT.
Vaccine “viral fivefold” (HB-Hiberix ® Tritanrix Smithkline Beecham)
Combine 5 immunizations: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae group B (the latter protects against meningitis). It is applied by deep intramuscular injection in the anterolateral aspect of the leg. Among its advantages is that a single puncture the baby gets 5 shots. The disadvantage is that it uses the acellular DPT vaccine, which causes less side reactions than the whole DPT.
Acellular DTP + IPV (Lab Quadracel ® of Pasteur).
It is used for primary immunization against diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus combined with inactivated polio vaccine. The advantage of this is the acellular DPT vaccine, which gives much less reaction to the DPT whole. Many children who vomit easily and with reflux of food, has an advantage to apply the polio vaccine injected intramuscularly. Can also be combined with Haemophilus influenzae group B in the same syringe, and allowing a single injection for 5 immunizations.
So far no vaccine is available that would be ideal: acellular DTP + hepatitis B, inactivated polio + + Haemophilus influenzae group B.
Hepatitis A and hepatitis B (Twinrix ®, SmithLine Beecham)
It is especially useful for children who did not receive hepatitis vaccinations in the first year, and for adolescents and adults. By combining these two vaccines, it uses the 3-dose and not two as in hepatitis A, when it is applied separately. The second dose is given one month after the first and the third 6 months after the first dose. Has not yet been determined what the optimum time to receive the booster dose, but is recommended, usually five years after the last dose. Is applied intramuscularly in the shoulder area for older children, adolescents and adults, and in the anterolateral aspect of the leg in young babies. The side effects to this vaccine are minimal, the most common are pain, swelling and redness at the injection site.
Varicella vaccine. (Varivax ®, Merck, Smithkline Beecham Varilrix ®).
It was developed in Japan in 1970 and have since been applied more than two million doses shown to be safe and effective. Although chickenpox is usually benign, can have complications, rare but severe encephalitis, meningitis, cerebellar ataxia, pneumonia, Reye syndrome, arthritis, decreased platelet count, glomerulonephritis … The vaccine is given to children to meet the years of age or, if for 13 years have not been vaccinated or have had chickenpox, they apply 2 doses at intervals of 4 to 8 weeks between the first and second. You can also apply to adults who have not had the disease. Vaccine reactions are generally mild and appear over the next month applied: these may include fever, malaise and a rash can flow with minimal injuries, which are rapidly disappearing.
Rotavirus vaccine is already a reality and it was about to begin to apply routinely. The importance of this vaccine is that rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in young children worldwide. The relative effectiveness of this vaccine has been 61% in infants older than 12 months of age and 41% in infants aged 4 to 12 months of age. The results showed that the vaccine achieved an 88% protection against severe diarrhea caused by rotavirus, 75% protection against dehydration, 71% reduction in the duration of the disease, and 70% reduction in hospital admissions. The vaccine proved effective and well tolerated. Can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality once it is incorporated into routine immunization programs.
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