Model Supports Use of Fractional Dosing of Yellow Fever Vaccine

A mathematical-model study suggests that a one-fifth vaccine dose would still be effective in reducing cases in an outbreak, by allowing increased coverage when vaccine supplies are limited.

The yellow fever outbreak in Angola in 2015–2016 led WHO to recommend a dose-sparing strategy to protect more people in the face of insufficient yellow fever vaccine to cover all. For the population of Kinshasa of 12.5 million, who were also at risk, only about 2.5 million standard-dose vaccines were expected to be available. To assess whether a fractional-dosing strategy is likely to be effective, investigators have now used mathematical models to assess the potential reduction in infection attack rate conferred by 5-fold dose fractionation in various circumstances. Previous studies documented immunogenicity of low doses (to 11% standard dose), but none assessed its efficacy.

Investigators estimated the reproductive number (new yellow fever…

Reviewing Author

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Model Supports Use of Fractional Dosing of Yellow Fever Vaccine

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Reviewing Author