[Studies on schedules for human rabies immunization].
OBJECTIVE
To study the feasibility of interferon (INF) plus an immunization schedule of two dose-two dose-one dose (2 - 2 - 1) of rabies vaccine and a simple 2 - 2 - 1 schedule, and to explore immune regulation mechanism of INF.


METHODS
For an IFN plus 2 - 2 - 1 schedule, 5.0, 5.0 and 2.5 I.U. of primary hamster kidney cell rabies vaccine (PHKCV) were injected on the 1st, 7th and 14th day, respectively, and 0.2 million I.U. of IFN-alpha on the 1st day simultaneously. For a simple 2 - 2 - 1 schedule, only 5.0, 5.0 and 2.5 I.U. PHKCV were injected on the 1st, 7th and 14th day, respectively. And, for controls, a routine schedule recommended by WHO was used.


RESULTS
On the 7th day after immunization, their geometric mean titer (GMT) of antibody was 1.71, 1.57 and 1.21 for the above three schedule groups, respectively; on the 14th day, 62.77, 58.79 and 28.96; on the 45th day, 76.64, 72.90 and 62.22. Conversion rate of antibody was 85.00%, 61.11% and 65.00%, respectively on the 7th day, and was 100.00% for all on the 14th day. Proportion of those with protective antibody level was 10.00%, 0.00% and 0.00%, respectively for the three schedule groups, on the 7th day; 100.00%, 100.00% and 95.00%, on the 14th day; and was 100.00% for all on the 45th day. Proportion of those with antibody titer more than 1:1 was 55.00%, 33.33% and 20.00%, respectively, on the 7th day. Adverse reaction rate was 0.00% - 55.00%, without significant difference between three schedule groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Lower dose of IFN could enhance the effect of immune response to rabies vaccine. IFN plus 2 - 2 - 1 rabies vaccine schedule was better than that of simple 2 - 2 - 1 schedule, while the later was better than the routine schedule.
Shao
R
R
Sanitation and Anti-epidemic Station of Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province, Yancheng, 224002, China.
Qian
J
J
Ding
C
C
Yan
J
J
Tang
Q
Q
Zhu
J
J
Cao
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011819:Rabies Vaccines