A new vaccine could reduce the number of middle ear infections, a common problem in toddlers. This type of infection affects 20 million U.S. children per year, out of which complicated cases may result in hearing loss.
Middle ear infection causes fever, pain and even a decrease in hearing, often coming after a cold. Researchers at the University of Defence in Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic
said that the vaccine they tested reduced the cases of the illness by 30% on babies vaccinated during the first 6 months of their lives.
The study included 5,000 infants; half of them got the vaccine when they were 3, 4, 5, and 12-15 months old, the other half got a vaccine against a totally unrelated illness.
All the babies were followed until they were 24-27 months old. The vaccine did not eliminate all the infections, 333 children who were injected the experimental drug developed the infection, in comparison to the 499 cases in babies who didn't get the experimental vaccine.
Serious adverse reactions were reported for about 20% of the children (500 cases), out of which 14 were linked to the vaccine. If the results of the study are confirmed, the virus may decrease the cases of infections, which cost about $20 million annually.
Still, they are question whether children should be immunized against a short-term infection, which is not life threatening.
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