Ajoke Sobanjo-ter Meulen, M.D., M.Sc. | University of Washington (original) (raw)

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Papers by Ajoke Sobanjo-ter Meulen, M.D., M.Sc.

Research paper thumbnail of Data for: "Estimates of the Burden of Group B Streptococcal Disease Worldwide for Pregnant Women, Stillbirths, and Children

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of maternal pertussis immunization in low- and middle-income countries: A review of lessons learnt

Vaccine, 2021

This issue of Vaccine is devoted to papers from a research project that developed two types of si... more This issue of Vaccine is devoted to papers from a research project that developed two types of simulation models, static and dynamic transmission, to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of maternal immunization to prevent pertussis in infants in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The research was conducted by a multinational team of investigators and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to gain an understanding of when and where maternal immunization might be a good public health investment for LMICs. Here we review the project’s central lessons for vaccine policy and research. Models require a lot of data. As most LMICs lack good data, the models were built using pertussis disease burden data from Brazil, a middle-income country with three long-established, independent information systems (disease surveillance, hospitalization, and mortality), on the hypothesis that the disease process is similar across countries. Values for key parameters, particularly infant mortality...

Research paper thumbnail of Closer and closer? Maternal immunization: current promise, future horizons

This state-of-the art manuscript highlights our current understanding of maternal immunization—th... more This state-of-the art manuscript highlights our current understanding of maternal immunization—the practice of vaccinating pregnant women to confer protection on them as well as on their young infants, and thereby reduce vaccine-preventable morbidity and mortality. Advances in our understanding of the immunologic processes that undergird a normal pregnancy, studies from vaccines currently available and recommended for pregnant women, and vaccines for administration in special situations are beginning to build the case for safe scale-up of maternal immunization. In addition to well-known diseases, new diseases are emerging which pose threats. Several new vaccines are currently under development and increasingly include pregnant women. In this manuscript, targeted at clinicians, vaccinologists, scientists, public health practitioners, and policymakers, we also outline key considerations around maternal immunization introduction and delivery, discuss noninfectious horizons for maternal...

Research paper thumbnail of Eliminating Meningococcal Epidemics From the African Meningitis Belt: The Case for Advanced Prevention and Control Using Next-Generation Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccines

The introduction and rollout of a meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac, in the... more The introduction and rollout of a meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac, in the African meningitis belt has eliminated serogroup A meningococcal infections for >300 million Africans. However, serogroup C, W, and X meningococci continue to circulate and have been responsible for focal epidemics in meningitis belt countries. Affordable multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines are being developed to prevent these non-A epidemics. This article describes the current epidemiologic situation and status of vaccine development and highlights questions to be addressed to most efficiently use these new vaccines.

Research paper thumbnail of Meeting report: CEPI consultation on accelerating access to novel vaccines against emerging infectious diseases for pregnant and lactating women, London, 12–13 February 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Preparing to introduce new maternal immunizations in low- and lower-middle-income countries: A report from the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation convening “Allies in Maternal and Newborn Care”; May 3–4, 2018

Vaccine

New strategies will be critical to reduce infant mortality and severe morbidity - there are still... more New strategies will be critical to reduce infant mortality and severe morbidity - there are still 5.2 million newborn deaths and stillbirths each year. The decline in newborn mortality has not kept pace with the reduction in under-five deaths and is slowest in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). Maternal immunization is a promising intervention to protect infants when they are most vulnerable - in utero and their first few months of life, before they can receive their own vaccines. Successfully introducing new vaccines for pregnant women in LMICs will require collaboration between two fields - (1) immunization and (2) maternal, newborn and child health - that use different service delivery approaches, operate under different policy and funding paradigms, and are not always integrated. In May 2018, stakeholders from these distinct communities convened to identify challenges and opportunities associated with delivering new maternal immunizations. Participants agreed that antenatal care is a logical platform. However, in many resource-constrained settings, antenatal care providers are already overburdened, and most women do not receive the recommended number of antenatal visits. Implementing maternal immunization could help increase antenatal care attendance by offering an additional safe and effective intervention that women value. Substantial effort is needed to demonstrate the benefits of maternal immunization to decision-makers and providers, and to ensure that countries and health systems are ready for introduction. To that end, participants identified the following priorities: assure coherence of policies for introducing new vaccines for pregnant women and strengthen maternal health interventions; generate demand for existing, recommended, and new maternal vaccines; conduct socio-behavioral, health systems and implementation research to shape optimal vaccine delivery strategies; and strengthen antenatal and perinatal care quality. To achieve these aims, collaboration across fields will be essential. Given that new maternal vaccines are advancing in clinical development, time is of the essence.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing the Evidence for Maternal Pertussis Immunization in Lmic: A Report from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Symposium on Pertussis Infant Disease Burden

Research paper thumbnail of Vaccines for maternal immunization against Group B Streptococcus disease: WHO perspectives on case ascertainment and case definitions

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal interventions vigilance harmonization in low- and middle-income countries: Stakeholder meeting report; Amsterdam, May 1–2, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Serocorrelates of protection against infant group B streptococcus disease

The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of Cost-effectiveness of maternal GBS immunization in low-income sub-Saharan Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal immunization against Group B streptococcus: World Health Organization research and development technological roadmap and preferred product characteristics

Vaccine, Jan 2, 2018

Group B streptococcus, found in the vagina or lower gastrointestinal tract of about 10-40% of wom... more Group B streptococcus, found in the vagina or lower gastrointestinal tract of about 10-40% of women of reproductive age, is a leading cause of early life invasive bacterial disease, potentially amenable to prevention through maternal immunization during pregnancy. Following a consultation process with global stakeholders, the World Health Organization is herein proposing priority research and development pathways and preferred product characteristics for GBS vaccines, with the aim to facilitate and accelerate vaccine licensure, policy recommendation for wide scale use and implementation.

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of Prevention of neonatal pneumonia and sepsis via maternal immunisation

The Lancet Global Health, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal and neonatal data collection systems in low- and middle-income countries: scoping review protocol

Gates Open Research

Background: Pregnant women and neonates represent one of the most vulnerable groups, especially i... more Background: Pregnant women and neonates represent one of the most vulnerable groups, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A recent analysis reported that most vaccine pharmacovigilance systems in LMICs consist of spontaneous (passive) adverse event reporting. Thus, LMICs need effective active surveillance approaches, such as pregnancy registries. We intend to identify currently active maternal and neonatal data collection systems in LMICs, with the potential to inform active safety electronic surveillance for novel vaccines using standardized definitions. Methods: A scoping review will be conducted based on established methodology. Multiple databases of indexed and grey literature will be searched with a specific focus on existing electronic and paper-electronic systems in LMICs that collect continuous, prospective, and individual-level data from antenatal care, delivery, neonatal care (up to 28 days), and postpartum (up to 42 days) at the facility and community l...

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of Data for: "Estimates of the Burden of Group B Streptococcal Disease Worldwide for Pregnant Women, Stillbirths, and Children

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of maternal pertussis immunization in low- and middle-income countries: A review of lessons learnt

Vaccine, 2021

This issue of Vaccine is devoted to papers from a research project that developed two types of si... more This issue of Vaccine is devoted to papers from a research project that developed two types of simulation models, static and dynamic transmission, to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of maternal immunization to prevent pertussis in infants in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The research was conducted by a multinational team of investigators and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to gain an understanding of when and where maternal immunization might be a good public health investment for LMICs. Here we review the project’s central lessons for vaccine policy and research. Models require a lot of data. As most LMICs lack good data, the models were built using pertussis disease burden data from Brazil, a middle-income country with three long-established, independent information systems (disease surveillance, hospitalization, and mortality), on the hypothesis that the disease process is similar across countries. Values for key parameters, particularly infant mortality...

Research paper thumbnail of Closer and closer? Maternal immunization: current promise, future horizons

This state-of-the art manuscript highlights our current understanding of maternal immunization—th... more This state-of-the art manuscript highlights our current understanding of maternal immunization—the practice of vaccinating pregnant women to confer protection on them as well as on their young infants, and thereby reduce vaccine-preventable morbidity and mortality. Advances in our understanding of the immunologic processes that undergird a normal pregnancy, studies from vaccines currently available and recommended for pregnant women, and vaccines for administration in special situations are beginning to build the case for safe scale-up of maternal immunization. In addition to well-known diseases, new diseases are emerging which pose threats. Several new vaccines are currently under development and increasingly include pregnant women. In this manuscript, targeted at clinicians, vaccinologists, scientists, public health practitioners, and policymakers, we also outline key considerations around maternal immunization introduction and delivery, discuss noninfectious horizons for maternal...

Research paper thumbnail of Eliminating Meningococcal Epidemics From the African Meningitis Belt: The Case for Advanced Prevention and Control Using Next-Generation Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccines

The introduction and rollout of a meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac, in the... more The introduction and rollout of a meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac, in the African meningitis belt has eliminated serogroup A meningococcal infections for >300 million Africans. However, serogroup C, W, and X meningococci continue to circulate and have been responsible for focal epidemics in meningitis belt countries. Affordable multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines are being developed to prevent these non-A epidemics. This article describes the current epidemiologic situation and status of vaccine development and highlights questions to be addressed to most efficiently use these new vaccines.

Research paper thumbnail of Meeting report: CEPI consultation on accelerating access to novel vaccines against emerging infectious diseases for pregnant and lactating women, London, 12–13 February 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Preparing to introduce new maternal immunizations in low- and lower-middle-income countries: A report from the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation convening “Allies in Maternal and Newborn Care”; May 3–4, 2018

Vaccine

New strategies will be critical to reduce infant mortality and severe morbidity - there are still... more New strategies will be critical to reduce infant mortality and severe morbidity - there are still 5.2 million newborn deaths and stillbirths each year. The decline in newborn mortality has not kept pace with the reduction in under-five deaths and is slowest in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). Maternal immunization is a promising intervention to protect infants when they are most vulnerable - in utero and their first few months of life, before they can receive their own vaccines. Successfully introducing new vaccines for pregnant women in LMICs will require collaboration between two fields - (1) immunization and (2) maternal, newborn and child health - that use different service delivery approaches, operate under different policy and funding paradigms, and are not always integrated. In May 2018, stakeholders from these distinct communities convened to identify challenges and opportunities associated with delivering new maternal immunizations. Participants agreed that antenatal care is a logical platform. However, in many resource-constrained settings, antenatal care providers are already overburdened, and most women do not receive the recommended number of antenatal visits. Implementing maternal immunization could help increase antenatal care attendance by offering an additional safe and effective intervention that women value. Substantial effort is needed to demonstrate the benefits of maternal immunization to decision-makers and providers, and to ensure that countries and health systems are ready for introduction. To that end, participants identified the following priorities: assure coherence of policies for introducing new vaccines for pregnant women and strengthen maternal health interventions; generate demand for existing, recommended, and new maternal vaccines; conduct socio-behavioral, health systems and implementation research to shape optimal vaccine delivery strategies; and strengthen antenatal and perinatal care quality. To achieve these aims, collaboration across fields will be essential. Given that new maternal vaccines are advancing in clinical development, time is of the essence.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing the Evidence for Maternal Pertussis Immunization in Lmic: A Report from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Symposium on Pertussis Infant Disease Burden

Research paper thumbnail of Vaccines for maternal immunization against Group B Streptococcus disease: WHO perspectives on case ascertainment and case definitions

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal interventions vigilance harmonization in low- and middle-income countries: Stakeholder meeting report; Amsterdam, May 1–2, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Serocorrelates of protection against infant group B streptococcus disease

The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of Cost-effectiveness of maternal GBS immunization in low-income sub-Saharan Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal immunization against Group B streptococcus: World Health Organization research and development technological roadmap and preferred product characteristics

Vaccine, Jan 2, 2018

Group B streptococcus, found in the vagina or lower gastrointestinal tract of about 10-40% of wom... more Group B streptococcus, found in the vagina or lower gastrointestinal tract of about 10-40% of women of reproductive age, is a leading cause of early life invasive bacterial disease, potentially amenable to prevention through maternal immunization during pregnancy. Following a consultation process with global stakeholders, the World Health Organization is herein proposing priority research and development pathways and preferred product characteristics for GBS vaccines, with the aim to facilitate and accelerate vaccine licensure, policy recommendation for wide scale use and implementation.

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Research paper thumbnail of Prevention of neonatal pneumonia and sepsis via maternal immunisation

The Lancet Global Health, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal and neonatal data collection systems in low- and middle-income countries: scoping review protocol

Gates Open Research

Background: Pregnant women and neonates represent one of the most vulnerable groups, especially i... more Background: Pregnant women and neonates represent one of the most vulnerable groups, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A recent analysis reported that most vaccine pharmacovigilance systems in LMICs consist of spontaneous (passive) adverse event reporting. Thus, LMICs need effective active surveillance approaches, such as pregnancy registries. We intend to identify currently active maternal and neonatal data collection systems in LMICs, with the potential to inform active safety electronic surveillance for novel vaccines using standardized definitions. Methods: A scoping review will be conducted based on established methodology. Multiple databases of indexed and grey literature will be searched with a specific focus on existing electronic and paper-electronic systems in LMICs that collect continuous, prospective, and individual-level data from antenatal care, delivery, neonatal care (up to 28 days), and postpartum (up to 42 days) at the facility and community l...

Research paper thumbnail of OUP accepted manuscript

Clinical Infectious Diseases