title: Immunogenicity, safety and tolerability of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine administered at 3, 5 and 11 months post-natally to pre- and full-term infants.
abstract: We assessed the immunogenicity, safety and tolerability of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) administered three, five and 11 months post-natally to 46 pre-term (PT) and 46 full-term (FT) infants. After each dose, there was no significant difference between the groups in antibody levels for any of the vaccine serotypes. After the second dose, the majority of subjects in both groups showed titres of > or =0.35 microg/mL, whereas an antibody concentration of > or =1.0 microg/mL was usually reached in both PT and FT infants after the third dose. Safety and tolerability was also similar in the groups. These findings support the use of the simplified schedule that includes three doses of PCV7 in both PT and FT infants, and suggest that this may reduce costs, as well as problems related to vaccine supply and administration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pediatrics, University of Milan, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pugni
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bosis
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Proto
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cesati
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Principi
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D000069443:Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D013997:Time Factors; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D000069443:Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate