A groundbreaking study has demonstrated the effectiveness of a two-dose hepatitis E vaccine during an outbreak in South Sudan, providing a potential lifeline for populations in crisis.
The research, led by Andrew Azman, an epidemiologist at the UNIGE-HUG Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Johns Hopkins University, highlights the vaccine’s ability to control the disease in resource-limited settings.
Hepatitis E, a viral liver disease transmitted through contaminated water, poses a significant threat in regions with poor sanitation and frequent flooding, such as South Sudan’s Bentiu camp for internally displaced persons.
Azman noted that the camp, home to over 100,000 displaced individuals, is a hotspot for hepatitis E and other waterborne diseases due to its dire living conditions.
The study, conducted in collaboration with MSF, South Sudan’s Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the University of Geneva, assessed the effectiveness of the Hecolin vaccine, originally developed in China.
Unlike the standard three-dose regimen, the research focused on the feasibility and efficacy of administering just two doses during an outbreak.
“Our findings revealed that two doses provided effective protection, which is significant in the context of an epidemic,” Azman explained. The vaccination campaign, carried out in 2022, targeted individuals aged 16 and above, with doses administered in March, April, and October.
Laboratory data from the Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases confirmed the vaccine’s protective effects and shed light on virus transmission dynamics and diagnostic performance. Professor Isabella Eckerle, director of the Centre, emphasized the synergy between MSF’s operational expertise and their translational research capabilities, noting that the collaboration enabled a deeper understanding of the disease and vaccine efficacy.
The study’s success has led to the WHO’s creation of a global stockpile of hepatitis E vaccines for emergencies. “This stockpile has the potential to save many lives, and the results of our study have already informed WHO recommendations for a two-dose schedule,” Azman said.
The research offers hope for addressing hepatitis E outbreaks in vulnerable populations worldwide, particularly in humanitarian settings where logistical challenges make three-dose regimens difficult to implement.