Adverse events and antibody response to accelerated immunisation in term and preterm infants

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Immunology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Preterm infants may have different responses to vaccines compared to full-term infants.
• The current national schedule recommends vaccination at chronological age for all infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare adverse events and antibody responses in term and preterm infants receiving the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine.
• To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the DTaP vaccine in infants based on gestational age.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 124 infants was divided into three groups based on gestational age: <34 weeks, 34-36 weeks, and ≥37 weeks.
• Infants received DTaP vaccinations at 2, 3, and 4 months of chronological age.
• Adverse events were monitored 24 hours post-vaccination; antibody titers were measured six weeks after the final dose.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in adverse events were observed between the gestational age groups.
• All infants achieved protective antibody levels for diphtheria and tetanus.
• Antibody titers to pertussis components varied, with some higher in preterm groups, but all demonstrated robust immune responses.

Conclusions:

• The DTaP vaccine is safe and elicits adequate antibody responses in preterm infants when administered according to the standard chronological age schedule.
• These findings support the current practice of vaccinating preterm infants concurrently with their full-term peers.