Supplementation with zinc, but not vitamin A, improves seroconversion to vibriocidal antibody in children given an oral cholera vaccine

J Infect Dis. 2003 Mar 15;187(6):909-13. doi: 10.1086/368132. Epub 2003 Mar 6.

Abstract

To investigate whether micronutrient supplementation could improve the vibriocidal antibody response of children to a killed oral cholera vaccine, 2-5-year-old children were randomly assigned to receive vitamin A and zinc (AZ group), vitamin A and a placebo (A group), zinc and a placebo (Z group), or both placebos (P group). All children received 2 doses of the vaccine. The number of children who had a > or = 4-fold increase in vibriocidal antibody was significantly greater in the AZ group than in the P group (P = .025-.028). Factorial analysis suggested that the proportion of children with a > or = 4-fold increase in vibriocidal antibody titer was significantly greater in the zinc-supplemented groups than in the groups that did not receive zinc (P = .013-.048) and that vitamin A supplementation did not have a significant effect. Thus, supplementation with zinc improves seroconversion to vibriocidal antibody and, hence, has the potential to improve the efficacy of oral cholera vaccine in children.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Bacterial Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Bangladesh
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cholera / blood
  • Cholera / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Urban Population
  • Vaccination*
  • Vibrio cholerae / immunology*
  • Vitamin A / administration & dosage
  • Zinc / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Vaccines
  • Vitamin A
  • Zinc