Today@Dal

The purpose of this study is to measure the level of protection against measles, mumps and varicella (chickenpox) in infants.

Your child is currently protected from these diseases by antibodies (proteins from your immune system) that you transferred to them in pregnancy. These levels of protection decrease quickly in the first year of life, potentially leaving infants at risk of getting these diseases prior to receiving their own immunizations (which in Nova Scotia are given at 12 months of age).

This study will help us determine the level of protection against these diseases in infants of different ages, and to understand whether and for how long infants may be at risk of measles, mumps or chickenpox prior to receiving their own immunizations. The results may help decision-makers ensure that we are protecting infants as best as we can by determining when they should be immunized, and what the risks of developing the measles, mumps and varicella if they are exposed to these diseases.

Your child can take part in this study if:

He/she is 12 months of age or younger.
He/she was born at equal to or greater than 37 weeks gestation.
He/she has no previous history of measles, mumps or varicella infection.
He/she has no underlying health problems that would affect their immune system.

For more information, visit our website here: http://centerforvaccinology.ca/study/measles-mumps-varicella-research-study/

Contact information: Jill Mutch
                                       902-470-3860
                                       jill.mutch@iwk.nshealth.ca             

Influenza or ‘flu’ is a highly contagious infection that is caused by a virus (germ) and spread by nasal droplets. Symptoms include sudden high fever, headache, chills, muscle ache and cough. The flu can also lead to other serious diseases such as pneumonia (an infection of the lungs), which can be dangerous in young children. The flu virus changes a little bit each year so a new vaccine is required each fall to protect against new “strains” year.

Vaccination with a flu vaccine is the best way to prevent influenza and avoid complications and is recommended by public health. Children under two years of age may not have strong immune responses to regular flu vaccines.

The purpose of this study is to determine if giving the adjuvanted vaccine to children who have not had a flu vaccine before will improve their immune responses to annual flu vaccines.

For more information, visit our website here: http://centerforvaccinology.ca/study/flu-vaccine-study/

Contact information: Cathy Brown
                                       902-470-7015
                                       catherine.brown@iwk.nshealth.ca

Rotavirus (RV) infection is the leading cause of severely inflamed stomach or gut (gastroenteritis [GE]) and severe diarrhea in infants and young children less than 5 years of age. Over the last few decades, the development of vaccines has been beneficial to prevent deaths due to RV infection.

The types of vaccines against Rotavirus infection currently manufactured by GSK are:

1. LicensedRotarix (lyophilized – freeze dried powder that is mixed with a liquid)

1. PCV-free HRV vaccine (liquid)

1. Licensed Rotarix (liquid)

In this study, GSK will compare the safety profile of the first 2 vaccines mentioned above in infants.

We are looking for healthy infants aged 6-12 weeks old to take part in this clinical research study. For more information, visit our website here: http://centerforvaccinology.ca/study/infant-rotavirus-study/

Contact information: Pamela MacIntyre
902-470-8948
pamela.macintyre@iwk.nshealth.ca