title: Specific immune response in adult medical personnel immunized with acellular pertussis vaccine with special emphasis on T helper cell response.
abstract: Recent epidemiologic data have indicated that adults are the most important reservoir that transmit pertussis to children. However, conventional whole cell pertussis vaccine is contraindicated in adults and children over 7 years of age because of the unacceptably high rate of adverse reactions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the specific cellular immune responses and adverse reactions to a less reactogenic acellular pertussis vaccine in adult volunteers. Eighty healthy medical personnel in Chang Gung Children's Hospital were enrolled. Volunteers in each group received: (1) Td + full strength acellular pertussis vaccine (PT, 1 microgram/0.5 ml; FHA, 4 micrograms/0.5 ml); (2) Td + half strength acellular pertussis vaccine; (3) Td alone. Lymphocyte phenotypic analysis, antigen-specific antibody titers, antigen-specific proliferative response and cytokine levels were evaluated before and 1 month after vaccination. Our data revealed: (1) the adverse reactions were minimal; (2) phenotypic analysis showed no non-specific activation of helper T or memory T cell after vaccination; (3) both PT and FHA-specific antibody titers increased significantly after vaccination, (4) PT antigens had a mitogenic effect on cord blood mononuclear cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the adult volunteers; (5) FHA-specific T cell proliferative responses significantly increased after vaccination; (6) the cytokine production pattern showed predominant activation of Th 1 cells as reflected in increased production of gamma-IFN after vaccination. Acellular pertussis vaccine can effectively induce both humoral and cellular immune response in adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Chang Gung Medical College, Taoyuan County, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006282:Health Personnel; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D016207:Cytokines; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; C065273:filamentous hemagglutinin adhesin, Bordetella pertussis