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Category: Data

Description: Vaccines given by mouth protect against infections that cause diarrhoea and other diseases. These vaccines work very well in developed countries; however, the same vaccines are considerably less effective when given to infants in developing countries, where the need for protection is greatest. The reasons for this remain unclear but are thought to include differences in genetics, immune function and environment. A number of studies have explored ways of improving the performance of oral vaccines, including giving micronutrients, antibiotics and deworming medications with or before the vaccine, or changing the timing of vaccine doses. To date there has been no comprehensive review of all these studies. We are therefore conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the scope and quality of evidence for a defined set of interventions. We hope this will not only improve our understanding of why oral vaccines fail in these children but also highlight areas for future research.