title: Frequent failure of adolescent booster responses to tetanus toxoid despite infant immunization: waning of infancy-induced immune memory?
abstract: To define the capacity of a tetanus toxoid booster to reactivate infant-triggered immunity, anti-tetanus antibodies were assessed before and after boosting 162 adolescents and 219 children from Mfou (Cameroon). Among 63 adolescents with 3 recorded dose of infant DTP, 29/63 (46%) responded with a > or =4-fold increase of antibody titers, 35/63 (55%) reaching the 0.10UI/ml threshold. Response rates were slightly higher (62%) in children aged 10-11 years. Responders and non-responders only differed significantly in their baseline anti-tetanus antibodies. Thus, early life immune immaturity may limit the persistence of infant-induced immunity and subsequent boosters may be required for sustained protection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Klara M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Posfay-Barbe
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobela
authors.forename: Cedric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sottas
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grillet
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taguebue
authors.forename: Tetanye
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ekoe
authors.forename: Paul-Henri
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lecoultre
authors.forename: Claire-Anne
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Siegrist
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid