[Immunological efficacy of smallpox vaccination in children with relative contraindications to vaccination]

Children (aged from 3 to 9 years) vaccinated against smallpox by multiple puncture (3 punctures by bifurcation needle), by a single cut and with vaccine diluted with a double dose of the solvent were observed. Vaccination by the methods tested considerably diminished the vaccinal reactions and failed to influence appreciably the formation of a full-value humoral immunity; only dilution of the vaccination material reduced the dynamics of the immunogenesis at the early periods after the vaccination. In children aged 3--5 and 6--9 years general vaccinal reactions were of the same character, whereas local reactions and immunological response were more pronounced in older children. A method of multiple puncture is recommended for mass vaccinations and also for vaccination of children with relative contraindications to the vaccinations.