title: Immunity and immunization of children against tetanus in sweden.
abstract: Tetanus antitoxin titres were determined in sera of 457 children, 6-, 10- and 16- year-old. Primary vaccination against tetanus had been given as 3 doses of DPT or DT vaccine at intervals of 4-6 weeks beginning in the 2nd or 3rd month of life. A booster dose is offered to schoolchildren at 8-10 years of age. As boosters, the children were given 0.1, 0.25 or 0.5 ml of diphtheria/tetanus toxoid (DT) containing 7.5 Lf/ml tetanus toxoid. The antitoxin titres against tetanus were much higher than those against diphtheria found in previous studies. Blood samples tested from 68 children, 5-year-old, who had been given basic immunization according to a spaced time schedule showed that 97% of the children had levels greater than 0.1 IU/ml. Prior to booster injection of the 6-year-old children, 1% lacked protective titre levels (greater than or equal to 0.01 IU/ml). 53% had antitoxin titre levels of greater than or equal to 0.01 - less than 0.1 IU/ml and 46% had levels of 0.1 IU/ml. The corresponding figures for the 10-year-old were 6, 65 and 29%, and for the 16-year-old 2, 7 and 91% respectively. After a booster injection high antitoxin levels were seen in all children. 95% had levels greater than 1 IU/ml irrespective of vaccine dose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Christenson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Böttiger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D022422:Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D013548:Sweden; D013742:Tetanus / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013743:Tetanus Antitoxin / Q000032:analysis; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D022422:Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013743:Tetanus Antitoxin; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid