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[The immunologic impact and adverse effects of simultaneous inoculation with DPT and BCG vaccines]

T Q Xu1

  • 1Shanghai Hygiene and Anti-Epidemic Center.

Insights

Simultaneous vaccination with Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccines is safe and effective in infants aged 3-7 months. Immunological responses and adverse effects were comparable to separate vaccinations, supporting combined DTP and BCG inoculation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Simultaneous administration of multiple vaccines is common in infant immunization schedules.
  • The Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccines are crucial for preventing serious childhood diseases.
  • Understanding the immunological impact and safety of co-administering DTP and BCG is essential for optimizing vaccination strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the immunological response and safety of simultaneous DTP and BCG vaccination in infants.
  • To compare the antibody titers for pertussis and diphtheria, and the tuberculin skin test (TST) response after simultaneous versus separate DTP and BCG inoculations.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving infants aged 3-7 months allocated into three groups: simultaneous DTP-BCG, DTP alone, and BCG alone.
  • Measurement of conglutinant antibodies against pertussis and diphtheria at specified intervals post-vaccination.
  • Assessment of the tuberculin (OT) test positivity rate and mean induration diameter at three months post-vaccination.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant differences were observed in pertussis antibody titers, diphtheria antibody levels, or tuberculin skin test responses between the simultaneous DTP-BCG group and the respective DTP-alone or BCG-alone groups (P > 0.05).
  • Conglutinant antibody titers for pertussis in the simultaneous group were 1:452 (1 month) and 1:192 (3 months); diphtheria antibody levels were 0.459 IU/ml (3 months).
  • The OT test showed a 95% positive rate with a mean diameter of 10.4 mm in the simultaneous group, compared to 98% and 9.8 mm in the BCG-alone group.

Conclusions:

  • Simultaneous inoculation of DTP and BCG vaccines is immunologically non-inferior to separate administration.
  • The combined DTP-BCG vaccination strategy is safe, with no abnormal adverse effects reported across the study groups.
  • These findings support the feasibility and safety of concurrent DTP and BCG vaccination in infants aged 3-7 months.

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