Repeated administration of whole-cell and acellular pertussis vaccines affects haemodynamics and autonomic responsiveness.
Rats were treated in a repetitive way one to four times with either pertussis toxin, combined Diphtheria-Tetanus-Poliomyelitis-Pertussis vaccine (DTP-IPV vaccine, which includes inactivated polio virus and whole-cell pertussis), DT-IPV vaccine (lacking the whole-cell pertussis component) or acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine or Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine. Baseline diastolic blood pressure, baseline heart rate and adrenergic and cholinergic responses were evaluated 4 days after last treatment. Pertussis toxin decreased baseline diastolic blood pressure (28-43%) and increased baseline heart rate (28-40%). Adrenergic and cholinergic response were inhibited by 65-75% and 70-78%. Multiple treatments were grossly as effective as single treatment. Similar results were obtained with DTP-IPV, while DT-IPV did not affect any of the four responses measured. Acellular pertussis vaccine did not affect baseline diastolic blood pressure, but significantly increased baseline heart rate (14%) and inhibited the adrenergic (19-23%) and cholinergic response (39-50%). This indicates that the acellular vaccine tested contains pharmacologically active pertussis toxin. As the effects were less pronounced compared to DTP-IPV, it is concluded that acellular pertussis retains less residual toxicological effects than whole-cell pertussis vaccine and may therefore be a safer vaccine. The observed effects on haemodynamics and autonomic control seem to be specific for pertussis toxin and pertussis-related vaccines as Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine is in this respect virtually inactive.
Laboratory of Health Effects Research, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. JGC.van.Amsterdam@RIVM.NL
J G
JG
van Amsterdam
J D
JD
te Biesebeek
T
T
van de Kuil
J W
JW
van der Laan
D J
DJ
de Wildt
W
W
Vleeming
D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006339:Heart Rate; D008297:Male; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D010567:Pertussis Vaccine