Clinical Research Directory

Can BCG Vaccination at First Health-facility Contact Reduce Early Infant Mortality?

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination is recommended at birth to protect against tuberculosis (TB) in countries with high TB burden. BCG is supplied in multidose vials with limited durability after reconstitution. In Guinea-Bissau, this has led to a practice of only opening a BCG vial at specific days, and only if sufficient children are present. Therefore, BCG vaccination is frequently delayed. Accumulating evidence indicates that BCG has beneficial effects on survival beyond the specific protection against tuberculosis, so called non-specific effects (NSEs). The hypothesis of this study is that increasing the availability of BCG and vaccinating children at the first health-facility contact can reduce early infant non-accidental mortality by 25%. In a cluster-randomised crossover trial, 23 health facilities (HFs) in three rural regions in Guinea-Bissau will be randomised to either continue with current practice (typically BCG vaccination once a week if a sufficient number of children are present for vaccination); or to offer additional BCG vaccines to make BCG available every day and open a vial of BCG if there is just one eligible child present. All children born in the three regions and registered during the study period, will be eligible for inclusion into the trial 1 day after birth. If consent is given by the mother, the child will be followed until day 42 after birth, when other vaccines are scheduled to be given. The primary outcome will be non-accidental mortality, secondary outcomes are non-accidental hospital admissions, non-accidental neonatal mortality and cost-effectiveness of making BCG available at the first health-facility contact.

Biological Impacts of Rising Temperatures on Maternal, Fetal, and Newborn Health: A Cohort Study (BIRTH Cohort)

The goal of this study is to learn how being exposed to high environmental temperatures during pregnancy affects the health of pregnant women and their babies. The study also aims to understand how the body responds to heat stress during pregnancy and how this might lead to pregnancy complications and birth problems like early birth or low birth weight. The main questions that the study aims to answer are: 1. What are the acute and chronic effects of environmental heat exposure on pregnancy and birth outcomes across different trimesters? 2. Through which biological pathways does heat stress impact maternal, fetal, and infant health across varying gestational ages? 3. How do socio-demographic factors, maternal characteristics, and nutritional status of women modify the relationship between environmental heat exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes? The study will take place in rural parts of Sindh, Pakistan. These areas often experience extreme heat and have limited access to electricity or cooling systems like fans or air conditioners. This study will include pregnant women who are in their first trimester (under 14 weeks of pregnancy). Before starting any study activities, researchers will explain the study to each woman in a language she understands and ask for her written permission to take part (informed consent). At the beginning of the study, participants will visit a study clinic. During this visit, researchers will check their height and weight, perform an ultrasound, and collect a small amount of blood for testing. Participants will also be asked to wear a small device that measures the air temperature and humidity in their surroundings. The researchers will follow each participant during her pregnancy, with visits during the second and third trimesters at the study clinic. At each visit, researchers will check how much heat the participant has been exposed to using the data from the device and from her own answers to a simple questionnaire. The questionnaire will have questions about their heat exposure at work, home, type of clothing, and how they deal with hot weather. Serial ultrasound, blood and urine tests will be conducted so researchers can study signs of stress, hydration, and other changes in the body. A smaller group of participants will also wear a device to measure their body skin temperature, heart rate, physical activity and sleep during pregnancy. When the baby is born, researchers will collect information about the birth, including the baby's weight and length, the time of delivery, and whether there were any complications during birth. After delivery, both the mother and baby will be followed for up to 12 months. During this time, the research team will check the health of both the mother and baby and see how heat exposure during pregnancy may affect the baby's growth over time. At delivery, placental weight and volume will be collected for a smaller group of women. Breastmilk sampling will also be done for this group of women to understand the effect of high temperatures on breastmilk quality. This study does not involve any treatment or medicine. Instead, researchers will observe the participants to learn how real-life heat exposure affects them during pregnancy. The findings from this study may help public health officials and governments find better ways to protect pregnant women and babies from the harmful effects of climate change and extreme heat, especially in places with limited resources.

BCG Revaccination With the Third Dose of Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis Vaccine and Infant Mortality in Africa

Studies in low-income countries show that vaccines can have important non-specific effects on other infections. Live BCG vaccine can train the immune system and reduce susceptibility to unrelated infections. In contrast, non-live diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-containing (DTP) vaccine enhances susceptibility in females: DTP vs no DTP is associated with 2-fold higher mortality, and in DTP-vaccinated children, females have higher mortality than males. These effects are seen as long as a vaccine is the most recent vaccine. WHO recommends BCG at birth followed by three DTP vaccines. A metaanalysis based on observational studies has shown that co-administration of BCG+DTP is associated with lower mortality than BCG followed by DTP. The investigators will implement a randomised trial in urban Guinea-Bissau, including 6000 children, to test the hypothesis that an extra dose of BCG given with DTP3 (BCG2+DTP3 vs. DTP3) can: * reduce death and hospital admissions by 25% * reduce the F/M severe morbidity hazard ratio