Four is better than nine. a combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine for routine immunization in Malaysia.
Malaysian infants would have to receive nine injections during the first few months of life in order to be protected against disease caused by hepatitis B (HBV), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) if single HBV and Hib vaccines were used. We evaluated a combined DTPw-HBV/Hib vaccine administered at 1.5, 3 and 5 months after a birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine (HBV). One month after completion of the primary vaccination, 99% of subjects had seroprotective anti-HBV antibody levels, and at least 98% had seroprotective antibodies against diphtheria, tetanus, and Hib, and were seropositive for pertussis antibodies. The immune response to the combined vaccine was comparable to that induced by separate injections with DTPw, HBV and Hib vaccines. Overall, the DTPw-HBV/Hib vaccine was as well tolerated as separate administration of DTPw, HBV and Hib vaccines. The combined DTPw-HBV/Hib vaccine induces protection against five diseases as recommended in the Malaysian routine vaccination schedule. Use of the combined DTPw-HBV/Hib vaccine can reduce the required number of injections from nine to four in the first few months of life.
Wong
Swee-Lan
SL
Pediatric Department, Hospital Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. wongsweelan@yahoo.co.uk
Soosai
Padma
P
Teoh
Yee-Leong
YL
Han
Htay-Htay
HH
Lefevre
Inge
I
Bock
Hans L
HL
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008296:Malaysia; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D017778:Vaccines, Combined; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; C080881:diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-haemophilus b conjugate vaccine