ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Serogroup B meningococcal outer membrane vesicle vaccines have been effective against vaccine-type strains, but their effectiveness against heterologous strains has been controversial. The Cuban VA-MENGOC-BCvaccine is of this type, but also includes meningococcus C capsular polysaccharide. OBJECTIVES Assess the effectiveness of VA-MENGOC-BC in reducing meningococcal disease caused by homologous or heterologous serogroup B strains and its serological effectiveness against meningococcus C. METHODS A review of studies of VA-MENGOC-BC’s application in Cuba, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia was carried out to examine the vaccine’s effectiveness in reducing meningococcal disease during serogroup B outbreaks. Serological effectiveness against serogroup C determined in these studies (indicated by bactericidal antibody titers before and after vaccination) was also analyzed. RESULTS VA-MENGOC-BC’s effectiveness against homologous serogroup B strains has consistently been greater than 80% in all age groups. Effectiveness in heterologous contexts was also above 80% in individuals aged >4 years. Lower effectiveness in heterologous contexts was found in Brazilian children aged <2 years, although still >50%. Effectiveness increased when assessed based on mortality rates, as well as in cases of clinically severe meningococcal disease. The carrier-state pattern was modified after vaccination with reduction of hypervirulent lineages. Some 60% of infants (aged <1 year) attained protective bactericidal antibody titers against serogroup C. Higher protection rates were achieved in older children. CONCLUSIONS In addition to prevention of meningococcal disease caused by homologous serogroup B strains, VA-MENGOC-BC should be considered for heterologous contexts. It is protective against serogroup C in all age groups.

Vaccines based on outer membrane vesicles of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B strains have been questioned by some researchers, who limit its effectiveness to the vaccine strain. VA-MENGOC-BC® is a meningococcal vaccine based on this technology. A meta-analysis of independent studies in different epidemiological contexts is used to assess the clinical effectiveness of the vaccine against heterologous serogroup B strains in several age groups. In this paper we provide evidence supporting its effectiveness against homologous and heterologous strains from different clonal complexes.

La efectividad de las vacunas de vesículas de membrana externa de Neisseria meningitidis serogrupo B ha sido cuestionada por algunos investigadores, limitándola a la cepa vacunal. VA-MENGOC-BC® es una vacuna antimeningocócica basada en dicha tecnología. Presentamos un metaanálisis de estudios realizados en diferentes contextos epidemiológicos, evaluando su efectividad contra cepas heterólogas de meningococo B en varios grupos de edades. Se demuestra que la vacuna es efectiva contra cepas homólogas, heterólogas y de diferentes complejos clonales.

Bibliometric studies are important sources to improve scientific journals. The treatment and the quantitative analysis of scientific journals is their objective, at the same time they are part of social studies of science. Since they use quantitative indicators of scientific activity they are considered valid measures to evaluate the levels of scientific production of a given journal. This paper presents a bibliographic study of the scientific production of Vaccimonitor that was carried out using different indicators from 2000 to 2013. Vaccimonitor was included in the database Scielo in 2000, keeping a homogeneous number of articles/number and adequate level among topics. The original papers were the most published. Although national articles are predominant, there has been an increase of articles from Brazil. The majority of published papers are from Finlay Institute (136), followed by Pedro Kourí Institute (11) and the Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (9). More productive authors are also included.

Los estudios bibliométricos son importantes fuentes para el avance de las revistas científicas, su objeto es el tratamiento y análisis cuantitativo de las publicaciones científicas y forman parte de los estudios sociales de la ciencia; en ellos se utilizan indicadores cuantitativos de la actividad científica, por lo que constituyen medidas válidas para evaluar los niveles de producción científica de una publicación dada. En este trabajo se realizó un estudio bibliométrico de la producción científica de VacciMonitor, mediante diferentes indicadores cienciométricos valorados en el período del 2000-2013. A partir del año 2010 con la inserción de la revista en la base de datos Scielo se mantuvo homogéneo el número de artículos/número y un balance entre las diferentes tipologías de los artículos. Los trabajos originales fueron los de mayor representación en todos los números publicados. Los artículos nacionales son los más representativos, aunque se observa un creciente aumento en el envío de trabajos procedentes de Brasil. El mayor número de trabajos publicados corresponde al Instituto Finlay (136), el Instituto Pedro Kourí (11) y el Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología (9). Además en esta publicación también se incluyeron los autores más productivos.

VacciMonitor is a scientific journal specialized in vaccines, belonging to "Finlay Ediciones", unique with those characteristics in Latin America. However, there are few articles published by Cuban researchers, which restrict the achievements spreading that in that sector of the science our country has obtained. Therefore, we propose to identify the reasons by which the national researchers do not publish in it, by means of written questionnaires applied to 40 researchers of scientific and health centers selected in four provinces. VacciMonitor, the leading product of "Finlay Ediciones", has wide potentialities, and it is indexed in numerous international databases, it must reach the most important ones in this field to make it more attractive between the researchers. The journal's virtues are little known in the national academic field, main reason for which the national researchers do not publish, neither they are motivated for it.

VacciMonitor es una revista científica especializada en vacunas, perteneciente a "Finlay Ediciones", única con esas características en Latinoamérica. Sin embargo, son pocos los artículos publicados por investigadores cubanos, lo que limita la difusión de los logros que en ese sector de la ciencia ha alcanzado Cuba. Se propuso, por tanto, identificar los motivos por los cuales los investigadores nacionales no publican en ella, mediante encuestas escritas en 40 investigadores de centros científicos y de salud seleccionados en cuatro provincias. VacciMonitor, producto líder de "Finlay Ediciones", tiene amplias potencialidades, y si bien está indexada en numerosas bases de datos internacionales, debe alcanzar las más importantes en este campo para hacerla más atractiva entre los investigadores. Las virtudes de la revista son poco conocidas en el ámbito académico nacional, principal causa por la cual los investigadores nacionales no publican, y tampoco están motivados para esto.

A randomized, controlled and double-blind study was conducted in young adults aged 18-20 aimed at evaluating the reactogenecity and immunogenecity of vaz-TyVi®, a vaccine of polyssacharide Vi from Salmonella typhi. They were distributed into 3 groups: immunized with a dose of Vax-TyVi® (Finlay Institute), TYPHIM ViTM (Pasteur-Mérieux) or vax-TET® (tetanic toxoid). Serum samples were taken before and 21 days after immunization. The immunogenecity was evaluated in 323 volunteers by an indirect ELISA. The seroconversion of those receiving vax-TyVi® was 81.97 % and 65.05 % for TYPHIM ViTM. The postvaccine mean geometric titers were 7.41 U/mL (5.92-9.27 U/mL) and 5.41 U/mL (4.35-6.72 U/mL), respectively. The seroconversion with vax-TET® was 0 %. The reactogenecity of both polysaccharide vaccines was low. It was concluded that the immunogenecity of vax-TyVi® was not lower than that of TYPHIM ViTM and that its reactogenecity was similar.

Se realizó un estudio aleatorizado, controlado y a doble ciegas, en adultos jóvenes de 18 a 20 años, con el objetivo de evaluar la reactogenicidad y la inmunogenicidad de vax-TyVi<FONT FACE=Symbol>â,</FONT> vacuna de polisacárido Vi de Salmonella typhi. Se distribuyeron en 3 grupos; inmunizados con una dosis de vax-TyVi® (Instituto Finlay), TYPHIM ViTM (Pasteur-Mérieux) o vax-TET® (toxoide tetánico). Se tomaron muestras de suero antes y 21 d después de la inmunización. La inmunogenicidad se evaluó en 323 voluntarios mediante un ELISA indirecto. La seroconversión de los que recibieron vax-TyVi® fue 81,97 % y de 65,05 % para TYPHIM ViTM. Los títulos medios geométricos posvacunales fueron 7,41 U/mL (5,92-9,27 U/mL) y 5,41 U/mL (4,35-6,72 U/mL) respectivamente. La seroconversión con vax-TET® fue 0 %. La reactogenicidad de ambas vacunas polisacarídicas fue baja. Se concluyó que la inmunogenicidad de vax-TyVi® no fue inferior a la de TYPHIM ViTM y su reactogenicidad resultó similar.

An indirect ELISA test was optimised in which B meningoccocus outer membrane proteins included in the Cuban Vaccine known as VA-MENGOC-BC were used as capture antigents. Specific antibodies in serum samples from vaccinated individuals were detected using a human anti-IgG conjugate, i,e, alkalyne phosphatase, thus the reaction developed with a specific substrate called p-nitrophenilphophate. Standard serum was obtained from a reference standard, the gage curve range was 625 to 20 000/mL. The control serum was selected from the most interesting areas for the samples, hence, assay characteristics were determined. Intra-assay, inter-assay and total inaccuracies were lower than 10 % in the most linear area of the curve. Detectability was 700/mL. Recovery, paralelism and linearity studies showed an under 10 % innaccuracy.

Se optimizó un ELISA de tipo indirecto en el cual se usan como antígenos de captura las proteínas de membrana externa del meningococo B presentes en la vacuna cubana VA-MENGOC-BC®. La presencia de anticuerpos específicos en muestras de sueros extraídas de individuos vacunados fueron detectadas con un conjugado anti-IgG humana: fosfatasa alcalina, revelándose la reacción con el sustrato específico p-nitrofenilfosfato. Se obtuvo el suero estándar a partir de un estándar de referencia, el rango de la curva de calibración es de 625 a 20 000 U/mL. Se seleccionó el suero control en la zona de mayor interés para las muestras y se determinaron las características del ensayo, cuya imprecisión intraensayo, interensayo y total fueron inferiores al 10 % en la zona más lineal de la curva. La detectabilidad fue de 700 U/mL. Los estudios de recuperación, paralelismo y linealidad muestran una inexactitud inferior al 10 %.