New Vaccine Could Wipe Out Ear Infections
Posted September 27, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s a common ailment in children, and though not life-threatening, ear infections can cause serious damage including permanent hearing loss.
But a new vaccine being tested in the U.S. could eventually wipe out childhood ear and sinus infections, as well as bronchitis in adults.
“We are now in an era where we look to vaccines that make life better,” said Dr. Michael Pichichero, a professor of microbiology, immunology, pediatrics, and medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
The vaccine would target Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, the chief remaining cause of the infections.
“For ear infections they are the No. 1 cause, for sinus infections they are the No. 1 cause and for bronchitis in adults they are the No. 1 cause, but they do not invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening illness in normal people,” Pichichero said.
Ear infections, though not fatal, can cause serious damage in children. According to Pichichero, 83 percent of children in the United States have one or more ear infections before the age of 3. In some cases the resulting hearing loss becomes permanent.
Parents know the pain their kids go through when they get the common infections. And it’s almost harder on them. “Parenting can be very difficult, and when you add this layer of chronic pain, it just makes it all the harder,” assures James Cypher.
His 16-month-old daughter Justine has had tubes implanted in her eardrums to help prevent the middle ear infections that make her ears hurt. But he knows pain is only part of the problem.
“The ability of sound waves to get to the inner ear, for you to hear properly, is diminished,” explains Dr. Everton Gooden, an ear, nose and throat specialist. “So these children often present with speech delay, with difficulties at school.”
Cypher welcomes anything that can keep that from happening. “A vaccine that would rid us of these problems would be very nice,” he agrees.
But don’t throw away those antibiotics just yet. There are a lot of other bugs that will cause a middle ear infection and they’re not covered by the new protection.
Here’s what you need to know about middle ear infections:
Signs and symptoms
Ear infections can be hard to detect, especially if your child is too young to say, “My ear hurts.” Knowing what to look for can help.
Children with ear infections may:
Tug or pull at their ears
Cry more than usual
Have trouble sleeping
Fail to respond to sounds
Be unusually irritable
Develop a fever
Develop fluid that drains from the ears
Have headaches
Prevention
You can reduce your child’s risk of ear infections with a few simple steps:
Keep your child away from sick children. If you can, limit the time your child spends in group child care. A child care setting with fewer children may help.
Protect your child from secondhand smoke. Make sure that no one smokes in your home. Away from home, stay in smoke-free environments.
Breast-feed your baby for at least six months. Breast milk contains antibodies that offer protection from ear infections.
If you bottle-feed, hold your baby in an upright position. Avoid propping a bottle in your baby’s mouth while he or she is lying down.
Ask your child’s doctor about the pneumococcal vaccine (Prevnar). Prevnar is intended to prevent serious, life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia and meningitis. Studies indicate that it slightly reduces the risk of ear infections as well.
For more information on ear infections, click here.
Courtesy Mayo Clinic
