Using oral polio vaccine beyond the cold chain: a feasibility study conducted during the national immunization campaign in Mali

Ariane Halm; Idrissa Yalcouyé; Mady Kamissoko; Tenemakan Keïta; Ndoutabé Modjirom; Simona Zipursky; Umit Kartoglu; Olivier Ronveaux

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.02.066

Using oral polio vaccine beyond the cold chain: a feasibility study conducted during the national immunization campaign in Mali

Vaccine. 2010 Apr 26;28(19):3467-72. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.02.066. Epub 2010 Mar 1.

Authors

Ariane Halm¹, Idrissa Yalcouyé, Mady Kamissoko, Tenemakan Keïta, Ndoutabé Modjirom, Simona Zipursky, Umit Kartoglu, Olivier Ronveaux

Affiliation

¹ European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 171 83 Stockholm, Sweden.

PMID: 20197147
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.02.066

Abstract

We conducted the first systematic documentation of using oral polio vaccine (OPV) out of the cold chain during national immunization day (NID) campaigns in Mali. Using a crossover intervention design, vaccinators compared the transport of OPV in vaccine carriers with or without ice packs. Vaccine integrity was assured through monitoring vaccine vial monitor (VVM) status. Despite ambient temperatures up to 40 degrees C, none of the VVMs on any of the vials used (n=956) reached their discard point. Over 90% of vaccinators and supervisors preferred conducting NIDs without ice packs. In addition, using OPV out of the cold chain reduced vaccine wastage resulting from melting ice packs causing labels to detach from the vial.

MeSH terms

Child, Preschool
Cross-Over Studies
Drug Storage / methods*
Feasibility Studies
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Mali
Poliomyelitis / prevention & control*
Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral / immunology*
Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral / supply & distribution*
Refrigeration*
Temperature

Substances

Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral