title: Measles, polio and tetanus toxoid antibody levels in Gambian children aged 3 to 4 years following routine vaccination.
abstract: A nation-wide cross-sectional survey of 816 children 3-4 years old was carried out in The Gambia between September 1990 and July 1991 to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies against 3 diseases included in the expanded programme on immunization: measles, poliomyelitis and tetanus. Among 689 children whose records were available, 94.5% were fully immunized. Measles vaccine was administered to 97% of the children and 91% of these had detectable antibodies at the time of the survey. Antibodies against type 1 and type 3 polioviruses, after up to 6 doses of oral polio vaccine, were present in 88.1% and 89.3% of the children respectively. Ninety-seven percent of the children who had received 4 doses of diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine (DPT) and 91% of those who received 3 doses had detectable tetanus toxoid antibodies at the age of 3-4 years. This study shows that serological responses to EPI vaccines given in infancy persist at very satisfactory levels throughout early childhood.
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer, The Gambia Hepatitis Intervention Study, Banjul.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fortuin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maine
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Whittle
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005714:Gambia; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008457:Measles / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral