title: Responses to rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria vaccines in otitis-prone and non-otitis-prone children.
abstract: Delayed immunologic maturation--among other things based on a selective lack of antibodies against some acute purulent otitis media (AOM)-associated pneumococcal types--has been proposed in children with recurrent AOM (rAOM). To further elucidate the immunologic response in these children, we compared the antibody responses to diphtheria, tetanus, and rubella vaccinations in 13 children with rAOM and 29 children without AOM. The children took part in a prospective study from birth to the age of 3 years. The antibody response to the rubella vaccine was significantly lower in the children with rAOM. The responses to tetanus and to diphtheria did not differ between children with and without rAOM. Thus, the results indicate that in addition to the known lack of antibodies against pneumococcal polysaccharide antigens, a lower antibody response against at least one protein antigen may exist in otitis-prone children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prellner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harsten
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Löfgren
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Christenson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heldrup
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000276:immunology*; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012411:Rubella Vaccine; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid