Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Vitamin A supplementation enhances infants' immune responses to hepatitis B vaccine but does not affect responses to Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine
Journal of Nutrition, Volume 137, No. 5, Year 2007
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
Vitamin A supplementation reduces child mortality and severe morbidity in less developed countries, and the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) offers an ideal opportunity to deliver supplements in developing countries. High-dose vitamin A supplementation has been shown to have no effect on the immunogenicity of oral polio vaccine, tetanus toxoid, pertussis, or on measles vaccine given at 9 mo, but a negative effect on measles vaccine administered at 6 mo and a potentiating effect on diphtheria vaccine. Its effect on the antibody response to hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b antigens has not yet been established. To assess these effects, the present trial was carried out in the Offinso district of Ghana; 1077 infants were enrolled shortly after birth and randomized either to receive or not to receive 15 mg retinol equivalent with vitamin A together with the pentavalent "diphtheria-polio-tetanus- Haemophilus influenzae b-hepatitis B" vaccine at 6, 10, and 14 wk of age. All mothers received a postpartum supplement of 120 mg retinol equivalent vitamin A as per national policy. Blood samples were taken from infants at 6 and 18 wk of age. The results are based on 888 infants (82.4%) who completed the trial. The vitamin A supplementation did not affect the immune response to Haemophilus influenzae type b, but there was a significant improvement in the immune response to hepatitis B vaccine (93.9 vs. 90.2%, P = 0.04). However, given the high percentage of infants with seroprotection in the control group, it is doubtful that inclusion of vitamin A in the EPI would be justified on these grounds alone. © 2007 American Society for Nutrition.
Authors & Co-Authors
Newton, Sam Kofi Tekyi
Unknown Affiliation
Owusu-Agyei, Seth
Unknown Affiliation
Ampofo, William Kwabena
Unknown Affiliation
Zandoh, Charles
Unknown Affiliation
Adjuik, Martin A.
Unknown Affiliation
Adjei, George
Unknown Affiliation
Tchum, Kofi
Unknown Affiliation
Filteau, Suzanne M.
Unknown Affiliation
Kirkwood, Betty R.
Unknown Affiliation
Statistics
Citations: 28
Authors: 9
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1093/jn/137.5.1272
ISSN:
00223166
Research Areas
Food Security
Health System And Policy
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Randomised Control Trial
Study Locations
Ghana