Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of adult versus paediatric diphtheria and tetanus booster dose at 6 years of age

Vaccine. 2001 Oct 12;20(1-2):74-9. doi: 10.1016/s0264-410x(01)00316-4.

Abstract

We evaluated the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of a booster dose of diphtheria-tetanus vaccine administered at the age of school-entry, comparing a low-dose vaccine (dT) to the standard paediatric dose (DT). Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of the two vaccines; the study was evaluator-blinded. The frequency of side-reactions was similar when comparing the two groups, except when considering local redness and swelling, which were significantly more frequent among the DT group. The post-booster geometric mean titre of diphtheria antibodies in the DT group was twice as high as that in the dT group (14.1 IU/ml versus 7.7 IU/ml; P<0.001). The higher antibody response and the comparable reactogenicity indicate that DT should be used as booster at school-entry, particularly if additional booster doses during adolescence or adulthood are not administered.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Child
  • Clostridium tetani / immunology
  • Corynebacterium diphtheriae / immunology
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine / administration & dosage*
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine / adverse effects
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine / immunology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Fever / chemically induced
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Secondary*
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies
  • Safety
  • Single-Blind Method

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine
  • Immunoglobulin G