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http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/111/5/1042

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Collections under which this article appears: Infectious Disease & Immunity

Related AAP Red Book topics:     Pertussis

PEDIATRICS Vol. 111 No. 5 May 2003, pp. 1042-1045

 

Immunogenicity of a Three-Component Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Administered at Birth

Cesare Belloni, MD^*, Annalisa De Silvestri, PhD^*, Carmine Tinelli, MD, Maria A. Avanzini, PhD, Massimo Marconi, PhD^¶, Fabio Strano, MD^*, Giorgio Rondini, MD^* and Gaetano Chirico, MD^||

^* Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care
Biometric Unit
Research Laboratories for Pediatric Oncohematology IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Pavia
^¶ Department of Pediatrics, University of Pavia
^|| Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care, Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy

Objective. To evaluate within the first 6 months of birth the immunogenicity of a 3-component acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine containing filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), pertactine (PRN), and genetically detoxified pertussis toxin (PT) in infants who received a dose of vaccine at birth, in addition to the recommended schedule administered at 3, 5, and 11 months. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of maternal antibodies on aP vaccine response.

Methods. We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate immunoglobulin G antibody levels in 45 infants immunized at birth and at 3, 5, and 11 months (group 1) and in 46 infants immunized at the ages of 3, 5, and 11 months (group 2). All mothers were also tested at delivery.

Results. At the age of 5 months the geometric mean titer of anti-PT, anti-FHA, and anti-PRN was significantly greater in group 1 (who had received 2 doses) than in group 2 (1 dose). At 6 months geometric mean titers were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 for anti-PRN and anti-FHA, whereas no significant differences were observed for anti-PT.

Conclusions. Immunization at birth may be important for an earlier prevention of the pertussis disease in infants under 6 months, especially in Italy, where the recommended ages for aP vaccine administration are 3, 5, and 11 months.

Key Words: immunogenicity • acellular anti-pertussis vaccine • immunologic priming

Abbreviations: aP, acellular pertussis • FHA, filamentous hemagglutinin • PRN, pertactine • PT, pertussis toxin • ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay • GMT, geometric mean titer • EU/ml, ELISA units per milliliter • IgG, immunoglobulin G

Received for publication May 23, 2002; accepted Oct 18, 2002.

Copyright © 2003 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. [Disclaimer]

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