Results of the impact of the new Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine formulation (PCV13) in The Gambia on pneumococcal colonization, reports genetic shifts in the pneumococcal population, using whole genome- sequencing, with possible implications for long term vaccine impact. The study was lead by MRC Unit The Gambia through Dr Anna Roca (Theme Coordinator Disease Control & Elimination DCE) and Professor Beate Kampmann (Theme Leader Vaccines & Immunity VI). The findings have recently been jointly published in Vaccine by MRC, and collaborators from the Sanger Institute and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Over the years, pneumococcal carriage data have been increasingly used as a tool to monitor the impact of PCV. Carriage studies are relatively quick and cheap, and can be be applied to countries where surveillance of invasive disease is not feasible. The objective of the study was to compare the additional benefit of PCV13 over PCV7 on the prevalence of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage. “Our Unit has been in the forefront of research evaluating the effect of pneumococcal vaccines in disease and carriage. The replacement in The Gambia of the new PCV formulation (PCV13) two years after PCV7 was introduced provided the possibility to conduct new research on the effect of these vaccines and generate data on the increase of non-typeable isolates. This study has been possible thanks to the synergies between two of the themes at The Unit, DCE and VI” said Dr Anna Roca.

Acknowledgement: The local community of Sukuta and Jammeh Foundation, as well as the PCV13 team.

Find more on PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26592141