Clinical Research Directory

Preparing for Maternal GBS Vaccine Trials in Africa

Infections are one of the key causes of newborn deaths. Among them, Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of sepsis and bacterial meningitis in the first 90 days of life. Fortunately, GBS vaccines for pregnant women, a powerful tool for fighting infections, are currently in development. Once vaccine trials are completed, these vaccines can stop preventable newborn deaths. The PReparing for Optimal Phase III/IV maTErnal Group B StreptococCal vaccine Trials in Africa (PROTECT) project, funded by the European \& Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and European Commission, is supporting medical sites in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Uganda to establish uniform pregnancy and infant health data collection processes. It is also establishing surveillance of GBS in newborns to determine incidence rates and measure the burden of disease. With better reporting systems, medical sites can participate in vaccine trials and monitor vaccine safety. At the same time, the consortium is working to understand the drivers of vaccine hesitancy and to develop culturally appropriate communication tools to facilitate engagement with vaccines. The end goal is to set up a network of sites that can monitor vaccine safety for current and future vaccines.

Epidemiological Study on Invasive Bacterial Diseases

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), and Haemophilus influenzae (hemophilus) are among the main bacteria responsible for invasive bacterial diseases (MBIs) that result in severe clinical pictures also characterized by a high frequency of serious complications. Surveillance of infections caused by these pathogens and their distribution by serotypes/serogroups is essential to guide public health interventions, assess epidemiologic trends, monitor any secondary cases, estimate the proportion of preventable cases, identify any vaccine failures, and evaluate the impact of vaccine strategies.The present study aims to study the epidemiology of invasive bacterial diseases, characterize the circulating strains also in order to plan treatment and prevention strategies.