Ethnic differences in selective neonatal BCG immunisation: white British children miss out

A retrospective audit of neonatal BCG vaccination in Grampian, Scotland

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine confers protection against tuberculosis (TB) and works most effectively when given to infants. Scotland runs a risk-based program in which BCG vaccine is offered to infants whose parent or grandparent was born in a high incidence country for TB. BCG vaccination records for all infants born in Grampian from 1st January 2019 to 31st December 2021 were reviewed from Nov 2022 to Feb 2023. Three electronic databases were examined, i.e. BadgerNet, Scottish Immunisation Recall System and TrakCare. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013. Out of a total of 16,078 live births in the 3-year study period, 2060 met the criteria for offering BCG vaccination. The uptake level was 93% in 2019, 89% in 2020 (in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic) and 93% in 2021. Audit results demonstrated higher uptake than the 85% key performance indicator target within the 2018 Scottish TB Framework and improvement in vaccination rates as compared to earlier rates of 86% in 2012 and 90% in 2013 in Grampian. Strengthening electronic systems and enhancing awareness regarding TB and the BCG vaccine can further progress BCG vaccination uptake.

Do selective immunisation against tuberculosis and hepatitis B reach the targeted populations? A nationwide register-based study evaluating the recommendations in the Norwegian Childhood Immunisation Programme

BACKGROUND

Selective immunisation is an alternative to universal vaccination if children at increased risk of disease can be identified. Within the Norwegian Childhood Immunisation Programme, BCG vaccine against tuberculosis and vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) are offered only to children with parents from countries with high burden of the respective disease. We wanted to study whether this selective immunisation policy reaches the targeted groups.

METHODS

The study population was identified through the Norwegian Central Population Registry and consisted of all children born in Norway 2007-2010 and residing in Norway until their second birthday, in total 240,484 children. Information on vaccinations from the Norwegian Immunisation Registry, and on parental country of birth from Statistics Norway, was linked to the population registry by personal identifiers. The coverage of BCG and HBV vaccine was compared with the coverage of vaccines in the universal programme.

RESULTS

Among the study population, 16.1% and 15.9% belonged to the target groups for BCG and HBV vaccine, respectively. Among children in the BCG target group the BCG vaccine coverage was lower than the coverage of pertussis and measles vaccine (83.6% vs. 98.6% and 92.3%, respectively). Likewise, the HBV vaccine coverage was lower than the coverage of pertussis and measles vaccine in the HBV target group (90.0% vs. 98.6% and 92.3%, respectively). The coverage of the targeted vaccines was highest among children with parents from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The coverage of vaccines in the universal programme was similar in targeted and non-targeted groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Children targeted by selective vaccination had lower coverage of the target vaccines than of vaccines in the universal programme, indicating that selective vaccination is challenging. Improved routines for identifying eligible children and delivering the target vaccines are needed. Universal vaccination of all children with these vaccines could be considered.

Vaccination coverage of children aged 12-23 months in Gaziantep, Turkey: comparative results of two studies carried out by lot quality technique: what changed after family medicine?

BACKGROUND

Health care systems in many countries are changing for a variety of reasons. Monitoring of community-based services, especially vaccination coverage, is important during transition periods to ensure program effectiveness. In 2005, Turkey began a transformation from a "socialization of health services" system to a "family medicine" system. The family medicine system was implemented in the city of Gaziantep, in December, 2010.

METHODS

Two descriptive, cross-sectional studies were conducted in Gaziantep city center; the first study was before the transition to the family medicine system and the second study was one year after the transition. The Lot Quality Technique methodology was used to determine the quality of vaccination services. The population studied was children aged 12-23 months. Data from the two studies were compared in terms of vaccination coverage and lot service quality to determine whether there were any changes in these parameters after the transition to a family service system.

RESULTS

A total of 93.7% of children in Gaziantep were fully vaccinated before the transition. Vaccination rates decreased significantly to 84.0% (p<0.005) after the family medicine system was implemented. The number of unacceptable vaccine lots increased from 5 lots before the transition to 21 lots after the establishment of the family medicine system.

CONCLUSIONS

The number of first doses of vaccine given was higher after family medicine was implemented; however, the numbers of second, third, and booster doses, and the number of children fully vaccinated were lower than before transition. Acceptable and unacceptable lots were not the same before and after the transition. Different health care personnel were employed at the lots after family medicine was implemented. This result suggests that individual characteristics of the health care personnel working in a geographic area are as important as the socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the community.

Addressing health inequalities in the delivery of the human papillomavirus vaccination programme: examining the role of the school nurse

BACKGROUND

HPV immunisation of adolescent girls is expected to have a significant impact in the reduction of cervical cancer. UK The HPV immunisation programme is primarily delivered by school nurses. We examine the role of school nurses in delivering the HPV immunisation programme and their impact on minimising health inequalities in vaccine uptake.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

A rapid evidence assessment (REA) and semi-structured interviews with health professionals were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. 80 health professionals from across the UK are interviewed, primarily school nurses and HPV immunisation programme coordinators. The REA identified 2,795 articles and after analysis and hand searches, 34 relevant articles were identified and analysed. Interviews revealed that health inequalities in HPV vaccination uptake were mainly related to income and other social factors in contrast to published research which emphasises potential inequalities related to ethnicity and/or religion. Most school nurses interviewed understood local health inequalities and made particular efforts to target girls who did not attend or missed doses. Interviews also revealed maintaining accurate and consistent records influenced both school nurses' understanding and efforts to target inequalities in HPV vaccination uptake.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite high uptake in the UK, some girls remain at risk of not being vaccinated with all three doses. School nurses played a key role in reducing health inequalities in the delivery of the HPV programme. Other studies identified religious beliefs and ethnicity as potentially influencing HPV vaccination uptake but interviews for this research found this appeared not to have occurred. Instead school nurses stated girls who were more likely to be missed were those not in education. Improving understanding of the delivery processes of immunisation programmes and this impact on health inequalities can help to inform solutions to increase uptake and address health inequalities in childhood and adolescent vaccination programmes.

Trends in missed presentations and late HIV diagnosis in a UK teaching hospital: a retrospective comparative cohort study

BACKGROUND

Late diagnosis is an important cause of HIV-related morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs in the UK and undiagnosed infection limits efforts to reduce transmission. National guidelines provide recommendations to increase HIV testing in all healthcare settings. We evaluated progress towards these recommendations by comparing missed opportunities for HIV testing and late diagnosis in two six year cohorts from North East Scotland.

METHODS

We reviewed diagnostic pathways of all patients newly diagnosed with HIV referred to infectious diseases and genito-urinary medicine services between 1995 and 2000 (n=48) and 2004 to 2009 (n=117). Missed presentations (failure to diagnose≤1 month of a clinical or non-clinical indicator for testing), late diagnosis (CD4<350 cells/mm3), and time to diagnosis (months from first presentation to diagnosis) were compared between cohorts using χ2 and log-rank tests. Determinants of missed presentation were explored by multivariate logistic regression. Breslow-Day tests assessed change in diagnostic performance by patient subgroup.

RESULTS

There were significant decreases in missed presentations (33% to 17%; P=0.02) and time to diagnosis (mean 17 months to 4 months; P=0.005) but not in late diagnosis (56% vs. 60%; P=0.57) between earlier and later cohorts. In the later cohort patients were significantly more likely to have acquired HIV abroad and presented with early HIV disease, and testing was more likely to be indicated by transmission risk or contact with GUM services than by clinical presentation. Missed presentation remained significantly less likely in the later cohort (OR=0.28, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.72; P=0.008) after adjustment for age, transmission risks and number of clinical indicators. Reductions in missed presentation were greater in patients<40 years, of non-UK origin, living in least deprived neighbourhoods and with early disease at presentation (P<0.05). 27% of missed presentations occurred in primary care and 46% in general secondary care.

CONCLUSIONS

While early diagnosis has improved in epidemiological risk groups, clinical indications for HIV testing continue to be missed, particularly in patients who are older, of UK origin and from more deprived communities. Increasing testing in non-specialist services is a priority.

BCG vaccination in England since 2005: a survey of policy and practice

OBJECTIVE

Assess the current BCG vaccination policies and delivery pathways for immunisation in Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England since the 2005 change in recommendations.

DESIGN

A survey of key informants across PCTs using a standardised, structured questionnaire.

SETTING

152 PCTs in England.

RESULTS

Complete questionnaires were returned from 127 (84%) PCTs. Sixteen (27%) PCTs reported universal infant vaccination and 111 (73%) had selective infant vaccination. Selective vaccination outside infancy was also reported from 94 (74%) PCTs. PCTs with selective infant policy most frequently vaccinated on postnatal wards (51/102, 50%), whereas PCTs with universal infant vaccination most frequently vaccinated in community clinics (9/13, 69%; p=0.011). To identify and flag up eligible infants in PCTs with targeted infant immunisation, those who mostly vaccinate on postnatal wards depend on midwives and maternity records, whereas those who vaccinate primarily in the community rely more often on various healthcare professionals.

CONCLUSIONS

Targeted infant vaccination has been implemented in most PCTs across the UK. PCTs with selective infant vaccination provide BCG vaccine via a greater variety of healthcare professionals than those with universal infant vaccination policies. Data on vaccine coverage would help evaluate the effectiveness of delivery. Interruptions of delivery noted here emphasise the importance of not just an agreed, standardised, local pathway, but also a named person in charge.

Human papillomavirus vaccination and social inequality: results from a prospective cohort study

We investigated the effect of social inequalities on the uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, combining data from a feasibility study conducted in 2007–2008 in 2817 secondary schoolgirls in two UK primary-care trusts, with census and child health records. Uptake was significantly lower in more deprived areas (P<0·001) and in ethnic minority girls (P=0·013). The relatively small proportion of parents who actively refused vaccination by returning a negative consent form were more likely to come from more advantaged areas (P<0·001). Non-responding parents were from more deprived (P<0·001) and ethnic minority (P=0·001) backgrounds. Girls who did not receive HPV vaccination were less likely to have received all their childhood immunizations particularly measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Different approaches may be needed to maximize HPV vaccine uptake in engaged and non-responding parents, including ethnic-specific approaches for non-responders.

Age-related waning of in vitro Interferon-gamma levels against r32kDaBCG in BCG vaccinated children

Background

Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine has displayed inconsistent efficacy in different trials conducted in various geographical regions. Nevertheless, it significantly reduces the risk of severe childhood tuberculosis and continues to be used to prevent tuberculosis in many countries. Many studies revealed that efficacy of vaccine wanes with age. Most of the studies were based on in vivo and in vitro responses to tuberculin. With the advent of newer tests such as in vitro interferon-γ assays and identification of potent immunogenic mycobacterial proteins there is a need to corroborate the observations. This study aims at ascertaining the need for a booster at a later age as indicated by in vitro release of IFN-γ while evaluating Ag85A as an antigen.

Methods

Ninety healthy children who were without any clinical evidence of the disease, 45 with a BCG-scar and the remaining 45 without scar and 25 with tuberculosis were included in the study. The incidence of TB was analyzed in 216 children attending a DOTS clinic during 1996–2005. CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts were measured by Flow cytometry. r32kDaBCG (Ag85A-BCG) protein was used to stimulate T cells in in vitro T cell responses and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) cytokine levels in the supernatants were measured by ELISA.

Results

High incidence of TB was observed in age group 13–14 years followed by children in the age group 10–12 years (Chi-square 242.22; p < 0.000). T cell subsets were within the normal range in all subjects. 79% of vaccinated children showed positive proliferative responses with a mean SI value of 4.98 ± 1.99 while only 39% of the unvaccinated and 58% of the tuberculosis children showed positive responses with mean values of 2.9 ± 1.6 (p < 0.001) and 2.9 ± 1.7(p < 0.057), respectively. The stimulation indices in vaccinated children decreased in the older children concurring with an increase in the incidence of TB.

Conclusion

Significantly high levels of in vitro IFN-γ demonstrated in BCG vaccinated children in our study substantiate the observation that BCG is effective in children, but the effect may wane with age. The immunity could be boosted using modified r32kDa (Ag85A) of BCG.