Zinc Supplementation for Young Infants With Clinical Severe Infection in Tanzania

NCT ID: NCT06102044

Last Updated: 2025-12-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

3250 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-12-27

Study Completion Date

2027-10-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Bacterial infections among young infants, including sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia, continue to cause a substantial number of deaths globally. Zinc supplementation in combination with standard antibiotic therapy may represent a new intervention to reduce mortality and improve treatment outcomes for young infants with clinical severe infection.

The Investigators will conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of zinc supplementation among young infants 0-59 days with severe clinical infection. The trial will enroll 3,250 Tanzanian infants hospitalized with clinical severe infection as defined by WHO Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines. Enrolled infants will receive standard clinical management including antibiotics and will be randomized to receive either a 14-day course of twice-daily 5 mg elemental zinc (10 mg per day) or a matching placebo regimen.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Neonatal Infection

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Zinc Supplementation

14-day regimen of twice-daily 5 mg elemental zinc supplements to be taken orally or by enteral feeding tube

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Zinc Supplements

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Dispersible zinc citrate tablets

Placebo

14-day regimen of twice-daily oral placebo supplements to be taken orally or by enteral feeding tube

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo Supplements

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Dispersible placebo tablets

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Zinc Supplements

Dispersible zinc citrate tablets

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Placebo Supplements

Dispersible placebo tablets

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Young infants aged 0-59 days
* Diagnosis of clinical severe infection (CSI)
* Ability to feed enterally
* Intend to stay in the study area for 90 days
* Provided informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Prior use of zinc supplements during the current illness
* Receipt of antibiotics for \>24 hours before enrollment
* Diarrhea at enrollment
* Signs suggestive of serious illness/condition that is not clinical severe infection
* Previously enrolled in the trial
* Enrolled in other research study
Minimum Eligible Age

0 Days

Maximum Eligible Age

59 Days

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Christopher Robert Sudfeld

Associate Professor of Global Health and Nutrition

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Christopher R Sudfeld, ScD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Christopher P Duggan, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Boston Children's Hospital

Karim P Manji, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Dar es Salaam, , Tanzania

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Tanzania

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Christopher R Sudfeld, ScD

Role: CONTACT

(617) 432-5051

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Karim P Manji, MD

Role: primary

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Manji KP, Somji S, Bakari M, Fawzi WW, Kibwana U, Kisenge R, Kisumuni AS, Liu E, Mafie N, Maleko FA, Salim N, Duggan CP, Sudfeld CR. Efficacy of zinc supplementation for young infants with clinical severe infection in Tanzania: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Paediatr Open. 2025 Aug 14;9(1):e003804. doi: 10.1136/bmjpo-2025-003804.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 40813142 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

IRB23-0138

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Therapeutic Zinc in Childhood Pneumonia
NCT00252304 COMPLETED PHASE2/PHASE3
Therapeutic Zinc in Infant Bacterial Illness
NCT00347386 COMPLETED PHASE2/PHASE3
Zinc Supplementation in Shigella Patients
NCT00321126 COMPLETED PHASE3