Immunogenicity, safety and tolerability of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine administered at 3, 5 and 11 months post-natally to pre- and full-term infants.
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.
Esposito
Susanna
S
Institute of Pediatrics, University of Milan, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.
Pugni
Lorenza
L
Bosis
Samantha
S
Proto
Alice
A
Cesati
Laura
L
Bianchi
Ciro
C
Cimino
Carolyn
C
Mosca
Fabio
F
Principi
Nicola
N
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
D000069443:Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate