Sun protection to improve vaccine effectiveness in children in a high ambient ultraviolet radiation and rural environment: an intervention study

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• 作者：Caradee Y. Wright ; Patricia N. Albers ; Angela Mathee…
• 关键词：Immunisation ; Vaccination ; Sun exposure ; Measles ; Intervention study ; Africa
• 刊名：BMC Public Health
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：December 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：17
• 期：1
• 全文大小：1050KB
• 刊物主题：Public Health; Medicine/Public Health, general; Epidemiology; Environmental Health; Biostatistics; Vaccine;
• 出版者：BioMed Central
• ISSN：1471-2458
• 卷排序：17

文摘

BackgroundVaccination is a mainstay of preventive healthcare, reducing the incidence of serious childhood infections. Ecological studies have demonstrated an inverse association between markers of high ambient ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure (e.g., sunny season, low latitude of residence) and reduction in the vaccination-associated immune response. Higher sun exposure on the day prior to and spanning the day of vaccination has been associated with a reduced antigen-specific immune response independent of skin pigmentation. The South African Department of Health’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation provides free vaccinations in government primary health care clinics. In some areas, these clinics may have only a small waiting room and patients wait outside in full sun conditions. In rural areas, patients may walk several kilometres to and from the clinic. We hypothesised that providing sun protection advice and equipment to mothers of children (from 18 months) who were waiting to be vaccinated would result in a more robust immune response for those vaccinated.