title: Tetanus immunity in elderly people.
abstract: The aims of this study were to document the level of tetanus immunity in elderly people; to assess the value of immunization history in predicting tetanus immune status and to determine the response to tetanus immunization in elderly people compared with younger subjects. One-hundred day-hospital attenders (group 1), 100 long-term-care residents (group 2) and 50 young subjects (group 3) were recruited. Protective titres of tetanus antitoxin antibodies were detected in 20% of group 1, 45% of group 2 and 80% of group 3. Tetanus immunization history was a poor predictor of immune status in older people with a positive predictive value of 50% and a negative predictive value of 76%. The response to tetanus immunization was slower and of lower magnitude in older people. However, 36 of 37 older subjects developed protective levels of tetanus antitoxin antibodies on completion of a primary immunization programme.
authors.affiliation: Mercer's Institute for Research on Ageing.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hegarty
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Feighery
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Coakley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D003017:Clostridium tetani / Q000276:immunology*; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D013742:Tetanus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid