Telethon Kids Institute is testing a new vaccine for pertussis aimed at healthy young adults.
Perth-based Telethon Kids Institute is enrolling young adults for a clinical trial testing the vaccine Pertagen®. The vaccine promises superior immunity and longer-lasting protection against pertussis, compared to other formulations.
Pertussis or whooping cough is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, which infects the nose, throat and lungs. The condition spreads from person to person through coughs and sneezes and typical symptoms include blocked or runny nose, sneezing, fever, uncontrolled bouts of coughing that sounds like a ‘whoop’ or are followed by a ‘whooping’ noise, and vomiting after coughing.
In 2016, there were 20,106 cases of whooping cough in Australia, which led to 445 hospital admissions. While this condition is usually not life threatening for teenagers and adults, it can be cause of concern for babies or older adults.
“For young babies who aren’t yet old enough to be vaccinated, a pertussis infection can be life- threatening. While pertussis is not as dangerous in teenagers and adults, they can still be very unwell for weeks and may also spread the infection to babies,” said Prof Peter Richmond, Head of the Vaccine Trials Group in the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases based at Telethon Kids Institute.
A better Pertussis Jab
The current vaccine against pertussis used in Australia (DTPa for children or dTpa for adults) is a cocktail formulation that also targets diphtheria and tetanus. However, while proven effective and safe, only offers temporary protection against pertussis.
“The current vaccine used in Australia and many other countries is highly effective in the short term. However, new research in Australia and elsewhere has shown that the immunity begins to wear off after three to five years, which is why we continue to have recurrent epidemics,” Prof Richmond explains.
Hence, a new vaccine is needed, with longer-lasting effects, which would help reduce the recurrence of pertussis epidemics and researchers think Pertagen® may do the trick.
Pertagen® has been tested in previous studies (such as this one) and has demonstrated both efficacy and no serious side effects. “There have been no safety concerns in any previous studies involving Pertagen® and the vaccine has been well-tolerated in both adults and teenagers with evidence that it stimulates more antibodies than the current vaccines we use for whooping cough,” Prof Richmond said.
Now, Prof Richmond and his team at Telethon will test if Pertagen® can provide teenagers and young adults with higher immunity as well as effective and longer-lasting protection against pertussis, compared to the current vaccine.
The long-term goal of this new study is to drive changes in the National Immunisation schedule, allowing Pertagen® to become a pertussis-only jab, that is given to teenagers and young adults.
Who is eligible to participate?
According to the Telethon announcement: “Healthy adults aged 18 – 25 who haven’t had a case of whooping cough or a pertussis vaccine in the past five years are invited to take part in this study. Female participants must not be pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy in the first two months of the study.”
Learn more
If you want to learn more details about this clinical trial, head off to the ANZCTR website, where this trial is currently registered:
http://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ID=377759
You can also reach out to Telethon Kids Institute for information:
Phone: 0400 450 240
Email: pertussis@telethonkids.org.au