Researchers at the University of Birmingham are developing a low-cost, blood-free saliva tetanus immunity test able to detect immunity to tetanus in as little as 15 minutes, according to a news release.1 The test will prove as a valuable tool in preventing unnecessary tetanus deaths across the globe.
The COVID-19 pandemic set childhood vaccination rates back for several reasons. During the public health crisis, misinformation made people hesitant to receive vaccines, service and supply chain issues made vaccines less accessible, and—busy administering COVID-19 vaccinations—fewer health care workers were available to attend to routine immunization efforts.2
Key Takeaways
- Researchers are developing a rapid, low-cost saliva test that can identify immunity to tetanus within 15 minutes. The test eliminates the need for blood draws and has the potential to improve vaccination programs in resource-limited settings.
- Disruptions due to the pandemic, including misinformation and overwhelmed healthcare workers, led to a decrease in routine vaccinations like tetanus, which has disproportionately affected low- and middle-income countries.
- The new test can be used to assess existing vaccination programs, identify individuals who need tetanus shots, and potentially uncover gaps in immunity for other preventable diseases.
As a result, global coverage for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis reached its lowest point in 15 years.1 This phenomenon has disproportionately impacted low- and middle-income countries.
“Tetanus is a bacterial infection with a high death rate but preventable with vaccination. Eliminating the disease has been achieved in many countries, but in some countries, tetanus is still a public health problem and continues to cause unnecessary deaths every year,” said Jennifer Heaney, PhD, research fellow at the University of Birmingham, in the release.1 “Our test shows if a person has protection against tetanus within 15 minutes. It can help identify individuals who are not protected and need vaccination.”
“As tetanus vaccination features in all combined immunizations alongside other serious diseases, if an individual is unprotected against tetanus, they are also likely to be missing protection against other serious vaccine-preventable diseases. The test therefore can measure tetanus immunity but could also help identify broader gaps in vaccine provision.”
READ MORE: HHS Awards Moderna $176 Million to Develop Pandemic-Ready Influenza Vaccine
The Medical Research Council funding has backed the development of the immunity test with £1.1 million. Following lab trials, it will undergo real-world evaluation in Rwanda. This partnership involves the Rwanda Biomedical Center, the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES), and the Kigali-based Center for Family Health Research.
In these settings, researchers will assess the test’s effectiveness and community acceptance. Trials may be expanded to other low- and middle-income countries, as well.
According to investigators, the test can be used anywhere, such as outreach programs, clinics, or hospitals. In areas where determining immunity levels and collecting reliable sero-immunogenicity data is challenging, its broad-applicability has the potential to improve public health vaccination programs on a large scale. According to Christopher Green, DPhil, health care lead for ACES based at the University of Birmingham, “Data from the test could support individual decision making and generate population estimates of immunity coverage.”1
Tetanus, a bacterial infection with a high mortality rate, is preventable through vaccination. Thanks to immunization efforts, newborn deaths from tetanus have plummeted by 97% between 1988 and 2018.3
Still, an estimated 20 million children globally remain unprotected by life-saving vaccinations.1 The new test promises to assess vaccination programs and strategically target resources to close this gap.
“There can be significant differences in immunization coverage not only between but within countries,” said Healy.1 “Having information on immunity at subnational levels can help evaluate how well vaccination plans are working and help inform strategies to address gaps and ensure protection across the population.”
READ MORE: Immunization Resource Center
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References
1. New blood-free tetanus test could help identify global immunity gaps. News release. EurekAlert. July 8, 2024. Accessed July 12, 2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1050577
2. COVID-19 pandemic fuels largest continued backslide in vaccinations in three decades. News release. World Health Organization. July 15, 2022. Accessed July 12, 2024. https://www.who.int/news/item/15-07-2022-covid-19-pandemic-fuels-largest-continued-backslide-in-vaccinations-in-three-decades
