Intranasal Vaccine Study for Whooping Cough in Children and Young People in Costa Rica

Costa Rica to Test New Intranasal Vaccine for Whooping Cough

Costa Rica has been selected to participate in a study that aims to test a new vaccine for whooping cough in children and young people. The vaccine is administered intranasally through an atomizer, targeting the mucosa, which is the entry point for the bacteria that cause the disease.

While there is already a vaccine available for whooping cough, it is administered together with protection against other diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae, and hepatitis B. The new single-dose vaccine, however, promises to go a step further by targeting the site where the disease-causing pathogen enters the body.

“The current vaccine used in the national immunization program works to protect people from serious diseases, but not to prevent them from becoming infected or transmitting the germ to other people,” explained Berman Siles Mora, a medical researcher at the Institute for Research in Medical Sciences (Icimed), which is conducting the study in Costa Rica.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is an infectious disease caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacterium. The bacteria enter through the nose and adhere to the cilia, small hair-like extensions that line part of the upper respiratory tract. They reproduce and release toxins that damage the cilia and cause inflammation of the airways.

The bacteria can easily spread from person to person through the air, particularly when someone with whooping cough sneezes or coughs. Symptoms usually appear 5 to 10 days after exposure and can include a runny or stuffy nose, low-grade fever, occasional mild cough, and apnea (pauses in breathing). If left untreated, the disease can progress to rapid and uncontrollable coughing spells, leading to hospitalization, especially in individuals with compromised health.

In Costa Rica, the last death from whooping cough occurred in 2008, and the last major outbreak was reported in 2019 in the canton of Corredores, with 23 cases. Vaccination rates in the country typically exceed 95%, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the figures dropped to 92% in 2020 and 2021, according to the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).

The new vaccine is necessary because pertussis infections have been on the rise in recent years, even in countries with high vaccination rates. Existing vaccines do not effectively prevent the spread of Bordetella pertussis, and there is a growing belief that the protection provided by the vaccine may only last a decade or slightly longer. The intranasal vaccine could potentially fill this gap.

The clinical trial in Costa Rica will focus on children aged six and young people up to 17. The research team, led by Berman Siles Mora, includes pediatric pulmonologist Lydianna Ávila de Benedictis, as well as pediatric infectologists María Luisa Ávila Agüero and Kattia Camacho Badilla. The study aims to recruit 300 participants.

Participation in the research is voluntary, and participants will be required to visit the research center at least four times over a six-month period. Some participants will receive the study vaccine, while others will receive an already approved whooping cough vaccine.

For more information about the study, interested individuals can contact Icimed via email at icimed@ucimed.com or by calling 2296-0100. Alternatively, they can send a message to 8777-1878 or visit the contact link at bit.ly/3Lgtc2e.

The introduction of an intranasal vaccine for whooping cough could potentially provide a more extensive immune response by targeting the mucosa, the entry point for the bacteria. This study in Costa Rica represents an important step in evaluating the effectiveness of this new vaccine and its potential to prevent the spread of whooping cough.

What is the purpose of the new intranasal vaccine being tested in Costa Rica for whooping cough?

2015, according to the Ministry of Health. However, there have been recent outbreaks of the disease, highlighting the need for improved prevention and treatment methods. The new intranasal vaccine being tested in Costa Rica aims to address this need.

The vaccine, developed by researchers at Icimed, targets the mucosa in the nasal passages, which is the entry point for the bacteria that cause whooping cough. By administering the vaccine through an atomizer, it is hoped that the vaccine will be able to better prevent the bacteria from entering the body and causing infection.

Unlike the current vaccine used in the national immunization program, which protects against multiple diseases including whooping cough, the new vaccine focuses solely on preventing the disease. According to Berman Siles Mora, the current vaccine works to protect people from serious diseases but does not prevent them from becoming infected or transmitting the bacteria to others.

By targeting the site of entry for the bacteria, the new vaccine holds promise for preventing infection and transmission of whooping cough. This is particularly important given that the disease can easily spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing.

Whooping cough can cause severe symptoms, especially in individuals with compromised health. It begins with symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose and a mild cough, but can progress to rapid and uncontrollable coughing spells. These spells can be debilitating and may lead to hospitalization.

The study in Costa Rica will help researchers determine the effectiveness and safety of the new intranasal vaccine. If successful, it could offer an improved method for preventing whooping cough in children and young people. This could have a significant impact on reducing the incidence of the disease and its associated complications.

Overall, the research being conducted in Costa Rica represents an important step forward in the prevention and control of whooping cough. By specifically targeting the site of entry for the bacteria, the new intranasal vaccine has the potential to provide enhanced protection against this infectious disease.