Excess female deaths may be linked with the Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine. Possible non-specific effects of the Penta vaccine with DTP have been studied. It has been investigated whether Penta vaccines in rural Bangladesh have been linked with excess female deaths. Mortality rates of between 6 weeks and 9 months of age between 29 June 2011 and 20 April 2016 for 7,644 infants are measured. The death rate ratio and aging MRR are to be calculated using the Cox relative hazards model. The MRRs were analysed. Deaths were examined on the basis of genders, the amount of Penta doses and the order of administration of BCG and Penta. 43 children died during the follow-up. The calculated F/M MRR was 0.47 for children who were only vaccinated with BCG.
The corrected F/M MRR varied considerably from the most recent vaccine used for BCG-only, and for Penta. While rural Bangladesh had a low mortality rate, there was a significant gap between modified FMR for BCG-only children relative to children who received the latest vaccine.
Even when unequal treatment and access to care are generally attributed, DTP-containing vaccines may be included in the clarification of disproportionate female mortality.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2020.1763084
