Prevnar cuts Meningitis rate. Vaccine wins again!

paximperium · 14th January 2009, 07:33 PM

Quote:

A routine childhood vaccine used to prevent several common types of infections has helped cut the rate of a deadly form of meningitis by 30 percent in children and adults, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday, suggesting even the unvaccinated are benefiting from the shot.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healt...50D7XI20090114

MattusMaximus · 14th January 2009, 07:38 PM

Epic win

Ivor the Engineer · 15th January 2009, 04:43 AM

Originally Posted by MattusMaximus

Epic win

Good, but not great:

Quote:

But they also noted a worrisome increase of pneumococcal meningitis in strains not covered by the vaccine and those that resist antibiotics.

...

"We do need new vaccines that will cover additional strains not included in the current vaccine," he said.

Wyeth is testing an expanded version of the vaccine that will cover 13 strains of pneumococcal bacteria and has said it plans to seek U.S. regulatory approval in the first quarter of this year.

Harrison said he evaluated the new Wyeth vaccine and based on currently available data, he thinks it will cover about half of the remaining disease.

paximperium · 15th January 2009, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by Ivor the Engineer

Good, but not great:

Well, it doesn't mention the massive decrease in childhood pneumonias as well but an expanded vaccine is always a good thing.

casebro · 15th January 2009, 06:22 AM

A 30% relative risk reduction ?
So just what are my chances of dying from pneumococal meningitis any how? One in 10,000? So, vaccination makes it one in 13,000? Where does the line form?

Puppycow · 15th January 2009, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by casebro

A 30% relative risk reduction ?
So just what are my chances of dying from pneumococal meningitis any how? One in 10,000? So, vaccination makes it one in 13,000? Where does the line form?

OTOH, in a country of 300 million that probably adds up to a lot of people.

While any one vaccine may not make a big difference, the cumulate effect of modern vaccines from smallpox to polio to MMR to DPT is huge. And even people who aren't vaccinated benefit from "herd immunity" if the majority are vaccinated. Average life expectancy before modern vaccinations became widespread was often in the 20s to 30s for most of history.

INRM · 15th January 2009, 07:27 AM

Of course it does, that's the whole idea of a vaccine -- to prevent a disease.

ectoplasm · 15th January 2009, 04:09 PM

Well, I will have to go to Inside Vaccines to get the real scoop.

note: I am being facetious, but I wonder what negative spin they will put on it.

luchog · 16th January 2009, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by ectoplasm

Well, I will have to go to Inside Vaccines to get the real scoop.

note: I am being facetious, but I wonder what negative spin they will put on it.

Well, judging by previous anti-vax posters here, they'll claim it's a lie, claim it's due to "improved sanitation", claim it's "natural immunity caused by exposure", claim it's due to some other factor they pull straight out of their nether regions, or some combination of the above.

14th January 2009, 07:33 PM	#1
paximperium Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2008 Location: Silicon Valley-Stuck between Google and Apple Posts: 10,727	Prevnar cuts Meningitis rate. Vaccine wins again! Quote: A routine childhood vaccine used to prevent several common types of infections has helped cut the rate of a deadly form of meningitis by 30 percent in children and adults, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday, suggesting even the unvaccinated are benefiting from the shot. http://www.reuters.com/article/healt...50D7XI20090114
	__________________ "The method of science is tried and true. It is not perfect, it's just the best we have. And to abandon it with its skeptical protocols is the pathway to a dark age." -Carl Sagan "They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."-Terry Pratchett

14th January 2009, 07:38 PM	#2
MattusMaximus Intellectual Gladiator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the midst of a vast, beautiful & uncaring universe Posts: 14,175	Epic win
	__________________ Visit my blog: The Skeptical Teacher The Times They Are A-Changin'

15th January 2009, 04:43 AM	#3
Ivor the Engineer Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: South Britain, near the middle Posts: 9,553	Originally Posted by MattusMaximus Epic win Good, but not great: Quote: But they also noted a worrisome increase of pneumococcal meningitis in strains not covered by the vaccine and those that resist antibiotics. ... "We do need new vaccines that will cover additional strains not included in the current vaccine," he said. Wyeth is testing an expanded version of the vaccine that will cover 13 strains of pneumococcal bacteria and has said it plans to seek U.S. regulatory approval in the first quarter of this year. Harrison said he evaluated the new Wyeth vaccine and based on currently available data, he thinks it will cover about half of the remaining disease.
	__________________ My Blog.

15th January 2009, 04:52 AM	#4
paximperium Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2008 Location: Silicon Valley-Stuck between Google and Apple Posts: 10,727	Originally Posted by Ivor the Engineer Good, but not great: Well, it doesn't mention the massive decrease in childhood pneumonias as well but an expanded vaccine is always a good thing.
	__________________ "The method of science is tried and true. It is not perfect, it's just the best we have. And to abandon it with its skeptical protocols is the pathway to a dark age." -Carl Sagan "They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."-Terry Pratchett

15th January 2009, 06:22 AM	#5
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,787	A 30% relative risk reduction ? So just what are my chances of dying from pneumococal meningitis any how? One in 10,000? So, vaccination makes it one in 13,000? Where does the line form?
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,787	__________________ Please pardon me for having ideas, not facts. Some have called me cynical, but I don't believe them. It's not how many breaths you take. It's how many times you have been breathless that counts.

15th January 2009, 06:53 AM	#6
Puppycow Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Japan Posts: 15,714	Originally Posted by casebro A 30% relative risk reduction ? So just what are my chances of dying from pneumococal meningitis any how? One in 10,000? So, vaccination makes it one in 13,000? Where does the line form? OTOH, in a country of 300 million that probably adds up to a lot of people. While any one vaccine may not make a big difference, the cumulate effect of modern vaccines from smallpox to polio to MMR to DPT is huge. And even people who aren't vaccinated benefit from "herd immunity" if the majority are vaccinated. Average life expectancy before modern vaccinations became widespread was often in the 20s to 30s for most of history.
	__________________ “Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

15th January 2009, 07:27 AM	#7
INRM Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 5,490	Of course it does, that's the whole idea of a vaccine -- to prevent a disease.
INRM Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 5,490

15th January 2009, 04:09 PM	#8
ectoplasm Thinker Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 213	Well, I will have to go to Inside Vaccines to get the real scoop. note: I am being facetious, but I wonder what negative spin they will put on it.
ectoplasm Thinker Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 213

16th January 2009, 04:17 PM	#9
luchog Neo-Post-Retro-Revivalist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Emerald City Posts: 7,957	Originally Posted by ectoplasm Well, I will have to go to Inside Vaccines to get the real scoop. note: I am being facetious, but I wonder what negative spin they will put on it. Well, judging by previous anti-vax posters here, they'll claim it's a lie, claim it's due to "improved sanitation", claim it's "natural immunity caused by exposure", claim it's due to some other factor they pull straight out of their nether regions, or some combination of the above.
	__________________ "All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others." -- Douglas Adams "The absence of evidence might indeed not be evidence of absence, but it's a pretty good start." -- PhantomWolf "Let's see the buggers figure that one out." - John Lennon