Evaluation of non‐specific effects of infant immunizations on early infant mortality in a southern Indian population
Open Access
- 6 September 2005
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Tropical Medicine & International Health
- Vol. 10 (10), 947-955
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2005.01434.x
Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between receipt of routine childhood immunizations and infant mortality before 6 months of age. Methods This was an observational study of 10 274 infants, in a randomized trial of vitamin A supplementation, who received the study dose and survived to at least 1 week of age. The primary outcome was mortality before 6 months of age, analysed in Cox regression models as a function of vaccine receipt and gender. Results Receipt of Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) or diphtheria, tetanus, polio (DTP) vaccine was associated with significant reductions of one‐half to two‐thirds of mortality hazards; among girls, those who received both BCG and DTP experienced higher mortality than those who received only one of the two vaccines (hazards ratio 2.4; 95% confidence interval 1.2–5.0). Conclusion The reduced mortality rate associated with receipt of BCG or DTP may be due to both biological and selection factors; the analyses regarding the combined effect of these vaccines and gender need to be replicated in other settings.Keywords
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