학술논문

Malaria Transmission Intensity Likely Modifies RTS, S/AS01 Efficacy Due to a Rebound Effect in Ghana, Malawi, and Gabon.
Document Type
Journal Article
Source
Journal of Infectious Diseases. Nov2022, Vol. 226 Issue 9, p1646-1656. 11p.
Subject
*PROTOZOA
*VACCINES
*MALARIA
*RESEARCH funding
Language
ISSN
0022-1899
Abstract
Background: RTS,S/AS01 is the first malaria vaccine to be approved and recommended for widespread implementation by the World Health Organization (WHO). Trials reported lower vaccine efficacies in higher-incidence sites, potentially due to a "rebound" in malaria cases in vaccinated children. When naturally acquired protection in the control group rises and vaccine protection in the vaccinated wanes concurrently, malaria incidence can become greater in the vaccinated than in the control group, resulting in negative vaccine efficacies.Methods: Using data from the 2009-2014 phase III trial (NCT00866619) in Lilongwe, Malawi; Kintampo, Ghana; and Lambaréné, Gabon, we evaluate this hypothesis by estimating malaria incidence in each vaccine group over time and in varying transmission settings. After estimating transmission intensities using ecological variables, we fit models with 3-way interactions between vaccination, time, and transmission intensity.Results: Over time, incidence decreased in the control group and increased in the vaccine group. Three-dose efficacy in the lowest-transmission-intensity group (0.25 cases per person-year [CPPY]) decreased from 88.2% to 15.0% over 4.5 years, compared with 81.6% to -27.7% in the highest-transmission-intensity group (3 CPPY).Conclusions: These findings suggest that interventions, including the fourth RTS,S dose, that protect vaccinated individuals during the potential rebound period should be implemented for high-transmission settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]