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Efficacy of Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide-diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine in infancy

J Eskola, H Peltola, A K Takala

    The New England Journal of Medicine
    |September 17, 1987
    PubMed

    Insights

    The Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine effectively protects infants. This vaccine demonstrated an 83% reduction in invasive H. influenzae infections in a large Finnish trial.

    Area of Science:

    • Immunology
    • Pediatrics
    • Vaccinology

    Background:

    • Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infections pose a significant threat to infant health.
    • Developing effective vaccines for infants is crucial for disease prevention.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the clinical efficacy of the Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide-diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine in infants.
    • To assess the immunogenicity and safety profile of the Hib conjugate vaccine.

    Main Methods:

    • An open trial involving 60,000 children in Finland.
    • Vaccine administered at 3, 4, 6, and 14 months to infants born on odd-numbered days; even-numbered day births served as controls.
    • Antibody titers measured in a cohort of 99 infants; invasive Hib infections tracked.

    Main Results:

    • Geometric mean antibody titer increased from 0.08 to 0.42 microgram/mL between 3 and 7 months of age.
    • Only minor adverse reactions were reported, indicating a favorable safety profile.
    • A significant reduction in invasive Hib infections: 2 cases in the vaccinated group versus 12 in the control group (P = 0.0005).

    Conclusions:

    • The Hib conjugate vaccine is highly effective in preventing invasive H. influenzae infections in infants.
    • The vaccine demonstrates robust immunogenicity and a good safety profile in young children.
    • This conjugate vaccine provides substantial short-term protection against Hib disease during infancy.

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