A study led by Menzies School of Health Research has found pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) type +P is better than type +S at preventing hearing loss in First Nations toddlers in the Northern Territory.
The five-year study aimed to uncover which type could best reduce debilitating hearing loss caused by chronic otitis media.
It revealed that Northern Territory First Nations children aged 12 to 36 months had access to the best available vaccine to prevent hearing loss as the +P vaccine, also called PVC13, is currently provided to children in the NT.
Researchers said that due to vaccine formulations and the bacterial make-up of otitis media, it was expected that the +S vaccine would provide better protection against hearing loss. Instead, they found toddlers who received +P vaccine had better hearing outcomes than those in the +S vaccine (or PHiD-CV10) group.
Writing in PLOS Medicine on 3 June 2024, they said the difference in hearing loss between the groups was 20% but due to the small sample size, the real difference was likely to be between 1% to 37%.
Prevalence of moderate hearing loss halved
Professor Peter Morris, senior author of the study and Menzies Senior Principal Research Fellow, said results were extremely helpful.
“Many people thought that the +S vaccine would be better but the prevalence of moderate hearing loss halved and normal hearing doubled in those who received the +P vaccine (PVC13) when compared to the +S group,” he said.
“This trend continued at each six month follow up until the child reached three years of age but with a smaller difference.”
Australia’s First Nations children have the world’s highest reported rates of otitis media but the research moves one step closer to tackling impacts of the condition.
The findings are crucial to helping guide research, policy and practice, particularly as new vaccine formulations become available.
The study, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), supported the roll out of two randomised control trials of head-to-head and combination vaccine schedules. The trials were independent of the pharmaceutical industry and studied the role vaccines can have in preventing hearing loss and helping address life-long, debilitating effects of otitis media.
Professor Amanda Leach AM, lead author of the study and lead of Menzies Ear Health Research Program, has dedicated her career to tackling otitis media, and was this year named in the NHMRC’s top 10 best research projects for her groundbreaking work to reduce impacts of otitis media.
“Almost every Australian First Nations child living in remote regions of the Northern Territory experiences chronic otitis media in their early years of life,” she said. “It’s crucial that this illness is prevented or treated early to reduce hearing loss and subsequent impacts on learning and development.
“These studies are vital in ensuring that vaccines are best meeting the needs of high-risk populations and strive to achieve better health outcomes for First Nations children. We thank the First Nations families who participated and greatly value their commitment to improving the health and education outcomes for their children.”
Professor Morris said all young children should be able to hear, listen, speak and learn to communicate during their early years of life.
“However, due to the devastating impacts of chronic otitis media, First Nations children experience life-long disadvantage due to this illness,” he said. “We welcome the opportunity to further evaluate the impact of these vaccines. Clinical trials are the best way to understand their effectiveness and to help stop this preventable disease in its tracks.”
Menzies School of Health Research in the NT is Australia’s leading medical health research institute dedicated to improving health outcomes for Indigenous Australians. While the institute led the research, it was a nationwide effort which also included researchers from Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Melbourne, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Sydney, University of Western Australia, University of Queensland, Curtin University, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and Queensland University of Technology.
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