Immune responses to typhoid conjugate vaccine in a two dose schedule among Nepalese children <2 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Previously, the Vi-typhoid conjugate vaccine (Vi-TT) was found to be highly efficacious in Nepalese children under 16 years of age. We assessed the immunogenicity of Vi-TT at 9 and 12 months of age and response to a booster dose at 15 months of age. METHODS: Infants were recruited at Patan Hospital, Kathmandu and received an initial dose of Vi-TT at 9 or 12 months of age with a booster dose at 15 months of age. Blood was taken at four timepoints, and antibody titres were measured using a commercial ELISA kit. The primary study outcome was seroconversion (4-fold rise in antibody titre) of IgG one month after both the doses. FINDINGS: Fifty children were recruited to each study group.Some visits were disrupted by the COVID19 pandemic and occurred out of protocol windows.Both the study groups attained 100 % IgG seroconversion after the initial dose. IgG seroconversion in the 9-month group was significantly higher than in the 12-month group (68.42 % vs 25.8 %, p < 0.001). Among individuals who attended visits per protocol, IgG seroconversion after the first dose occurred in 100 % of individuals (n = 27/27 in 9-month and n = 32/32 in 12-month group). However, seroconversion rates after the second dose were 80 % in the 9-month and 0 % in the shorter dose-interval 12-month group (p < 0.001) (n = 16/20 and n = 0/8, respectively). INTERPRETATION: Vi-TT is highly immunogenic at both 9 and 12 months of age. Stronger response to a booster in the 9-month group is likely due to the longer interval between doses.

Nurses' Knowledge and Practice of Aseptic Technique in the Operation Theatre at selected Hospitals of Bharatpur

Introduction: The nurses are involved in major part of patient care; they are thus important target population to determine their level of knowledge and practice of aseptic technique in the operation theatre. Methodology: A   descriptive study approach was   used   to   find   out the nurses' knowledge regarding aseptic technique in the operation theatre of selected hospitals, Bharatpur. Fifty six nurses working in operation theatre of the selected hospitals i.e. Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur Hospital and College of Medical Sciences were taken for the study.   Observations: Data   were   collected   by using   semi-structured   self-administered questionnaire. The findings revealed that,   62.5 %   respondents   had   high   knowledge, 37.5%   had   average   knowledge   and   none of   the   respondents   had   low   knowledge on aseptic    technique. Conclusion: The   level   of   knowledge      on   aseptic   technique     is statistically significant (p=0.031)   with the age and educational qualification of the respondents.