title: Immunogenicity of a single dose of meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine given at 3 months of age to healthy infants in the United kingdom.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  From 1999, in the United Kingdom, meningococcal C conjugate (MCC) vaccines from 3 manufacturers were introduced to the infant immunization schedule at 2, 3 and 4 months of age. In 2006, the schedule was refined to a 2-dose primary schedule at 3 and 4 months of age, with a combined MCC/Haemophilus influenzae type b (MCC/Hib-TT) booster at 12 months of age. Recent data have demonstrated that 2 of the 3 MCC vaccines showed potential for use as a single priming dose in infancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized trial was undertaken with 2 MCC vaccines; one using tetanus toxoid carrier protein (MCC-TT) and one using CRM197 carrier protein (MCC-CRM197). Infants were immunized with MCC at 3 months of age followed by an MCC/Hib-TT booster at 12 months of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum bactericidal antibody geometric mean titers 1 month after a single dose of MCC-TT or MCC-CRM 197 were 223.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 162.9-306.1) and 95.8 (95% CI: 66.4-138.2) with 100% and 95.5% of infants having serum bactericidal antibody titers ≥ 8, respectively. Before boosting, antibody titers had declined, and 1 month after the MCC/Hib-TT booster, serum bactericidal antibody geometric mean titers rose to 2251.0 (95% CI: 1535.3-3300.3) and 355.9 (95% CI: 235.4-538.1) for children primed with MCC-TT and MCC-CRM 197, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, a single priming dose of either MCC-TT or MCC-CRM197 administered at 3 months of age can be used together with the Hib/MCC-TT booster in the second year of life.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Evaluation Unit, Health Protection Agency, Manchester Medical Microbiology Partnership, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, United Kingdom. Helen.findlow@hpa.org.uk
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Findlow
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borrow
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Waight
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sheasby
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matheson
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: England
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldblatt
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ashton
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Findlow
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D006113:United Kingdom; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; C028581:CRM197 (non-toxic variant of diphtheria toxin)