As a follow up to questions about "otitis vaccine" I received OK to post this non-BF topic.
There really isnt a vaccine for otitis. This probably refers to the pnuemococcal vaccine. This is to protect against pneumococcus or streptococcus pnuemoniae.
The presently available vaccine is a polysaccharide vaccine and therefore not effective in children under two years old. It must be conjugated to proteins to be effective for them.
Pneumoccus is the most common cause of bacterial otitis about 50% of cases. It can also cause meningitis and pnuemonia.
World wide pneumococcal pnuemonia kills 1.2 million children a year most of them under 5y/o.
The other problem is increasing resistance to pennicillin and in some cases cephalosporins among some pnoemococcal serotypes. This is why we fear a day when we'll need IV vancomycin to treat otitis.
Presently several vaccines are being tested which cover from 7 to 11 different serotypes. The most common and most commonly resistant are the goal. They are expected to be available in the US in 2 to 3 years.
Pnuemococcal vaccine along with RSV vaccine are priorities with WHO.
If there was an effective pnuemococcal vaccine, an RSV vaccine and the coming rotavirus vaccine then I'd have ALOT more time to read Lnet
-Rob