The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7256 p8
5 July 2003

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The Lancet (www.thelancet.com)

Give vaccines early for otitis media

Previously unvaccinated children who suffer recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) do not seem to benefit from pneumococcal vaccination.

Researchers randomly assigned 383 children to receive either heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine followed by 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine or hepatitis A or B vaccines. No reduction in AOM episodes was observed among the group of children who received pneumococcal vaccination despite good antibody responses.

The researchers conclude that pneumococcal vaccinations should be given early in life (before 12 months of age) and preferably before two or more episodes of AOM have occurred (Lancet 2003;361:2189).