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Differences in reactogenicity and antigenicity of acellular and standard pertussis vaccines combined with diphtheria

E L Anderson1, R B Belshe, J Bartram

  • 1Department of Medicine, Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, West Virginia 25701.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|April 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

The acellular pertussis vaccine (DTP-AC) showed fewer side effects in infants compared to the whole-cell diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (DTP-WC). DTP-AC also demonstrated strong immunogenicity, making it a potentially safer alternative for infant immunization.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Infant immunization relies on effective vaccines like diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP).
  • Whole-cell DTP (DTP-WC) vaccines have been associated with significant local and systemic reactions.
  • Acellular pertussis components, including lymphocytosis-promoting factor (LPF) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), offer potential for reduced reactogenicity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the clinical and serological responses of infants to primary immunization with an acellular pertussis DTP vaccine (DTP-AC) versus a whole-cell DTP vaccine (DTP-WC).

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind study involving 19 infants receiving DTP-AC and 20 infants receiving DTP-WC.
  • Three doses administered at two, four, and six months of age.
  • Evaluation of clinical reactions (fever, swelling, total reactions) and antibody titers (LPF, FHA, pertussis agglutination).

Main Results:

  • Infants receiving DTP-WC experienced significantly more fever, swelling, and overall reactions compared to those receiving DTP-AC.
  • DTP-AC elicited comparable LPF antibody titers and significantly higher FHA antibody titers post-immunization.
  • DTP-WC stimulated higher pertussis agglutination titers, but DTP-AC demonstrated superior immunogenicity and significantly reduced reactogenicity.

Conclusions:

  • The acellular pertussis DTP vaccine (DTP-AC) is both immunogenic and significantly less reactogenic in infants compared to the currently used whole-cell DTP vaccine (DTP-WC).
  • DTP-AC represents a potentially safer and effective option for infant pertussis immunization programs.

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