Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of combined vaccines for bacteraemic diseases caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b, meningococci and pneumococci in 24-month-old children.
To find a wide spectrum vaccine against bacteraemic disease in childhood, we immunized 293 Finnish children at 24 months of age intramuscularly with different combinations of the currently available vaccines, namely Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine (PRP-D) mixed with meningococcal and/or pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccines. All the vaccines were immunogenic. The increase in antibody concentration after vaccinations was not affected by the number of polysaccharide antigens. Although no serious reactions were seen, the frequency of both local and fever reactions was greater in groups that received several vaccine antigens. Halving of the vaccine dose decreased the reactogenicity without impairing the immunogenicity.
Eskola
J
J
National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Käyhty
H
H
Takala
A
A
Rönnberg
P R
PR
Kela
E
E
Peltola
H
H
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines