A trial of a group A plus group C meningococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine in African infants.
The safety and immunogenicity of a group A plus group C meningococcal polysaccharide-CRM197 conjugate vaccine was evaluated in 304 8- to 10-week-old Gambian infants. Infants were immunized with one, two, or three doses of conjugate vaccine or with two doses of a meningococcal A plus C polysaccharide vaccine. The conjugate vaccine produced few systemic side effects, and local reactions were similar to those produced by the polysaccharide vaccine. Postvaccination group A meningococcal polysaccharide antibody levels, measured by ELISA, increased progressively after one, two, or three doses of conjugate vaccine. However, one dose of conjugate vaccine given at the age of 6 months induced a higher group C meningococcal antibody response than did two doses of conjugate vaccine given at 2 and 6 months. Two doses of conjugate vaccine induced higher levels of antibody than did two doses of polysaccharide vaccine. Thus, this new meningococcal conjugate vaccine proved to be safe and immunogenic.
Twumasi
P A
PA
Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, Banjul, The Gambia.
Kumah
S
S
Leach
A
A
O'Dempsey
T J
TJ
Ceesay
S J
SJ
Todd
J
J
Broome
C V
CV
Carlone
G M
GM
Pais
L B
LB
Holder
P K
PK
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; C043226:meningococcal group A polysaccharide; C037676:meningococcal group C polysaccharide; C028581:CRM197 (non-toxic variant of diphtheria toxin)