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Booster vaccination after neonatal priming with acellular pertussis vaccine

Markus Knuf1, Heinz-Josef Schmitt, Jeanne-Marie Jacquet

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany. knuf@kinder.klinik.uni-mainz.de

The Journal of Pediatrics
|March 23, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal acellular pertussis (aP) vaccination primes infants for strong booster responses. However, this early priming may interfere with the immune response to hepatitis B virus (HBV), Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), and diphtheria antigens.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Infant vaccination schedules often include combined vaccines for multiple diseases.
  • The impact of early pertussis vaccination on subsequent immune responses to other vaccine components is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the immunogenicity of a booster dose of DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib vaccine in infants primed with a birth dose of acellular pertussis (aP).
  • To assess whether neonatal aP priming induces immune tolerance or bystander interference with other vaccine antigens.

Main Methods:

  • Infants received a birth dose of aP and a combined DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib vaccine at 2, 4, and 6 months.
  • A booster dose of DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib was administered between 12 and 23 months.
  • Antibody responses to pertussis, hepatitis B virus (HBV), Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), and diphtheria antigens were measured.

Main Results:

  • A booster dose of DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib elicited strong anti-pertussis booster responses in infants.
  • Neonatal aP priming did not result in immune tolerance to pertussis antigens.
  • Neonatal aP priming was associated with bystander interference, potentially affecting immune responses to HBV, Hib, and diphtheria.

Conclusions:

  • Early aP vaccination can effectively prime for pertussis booster responses.
  • Neonatal aP priming may negatively impact the immune response to other antigens in combined vaccines.
  • Further research is needed to optimize infant vaccination strategies to avoid potential interference.

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