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[Primary response to tetanus toxoid stimulation in early infancy]
F Rosaschino1, G Cisarri, R Torre
1Istituto di Pediatria, Università degli Studi, Milano.
Insights
The first dose of tetanus toxoid vaccination boosts infant cellular immunity. Maternal tetanus antibody levels correlate with infant protection, suggesting antenatal vaccination is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
- Vaccinology
Context:
- Neonatal and infant immune responses to vaccination are critical for disease prevention.
- Maternal antibody transfer plays a significant role in early infant immunity.
- Tetanus remains a preventable disease through vaccination.
Purpose:
- To assess the immune response in infants after the first dose of anti-tetanus vaccination.
- To investigate the relationship between maternal and infant anti-tetanus antibody titers.
- To evaluate the impact of vaccination on cellular and humoral immunity markers in infants.
Summary:
- Infant immune response to the first tetanus toxoid dose showed increased CD4/CD8 ratio and decreased CD16, suggesting a stronger effect on cellular immunity.
- High maternal anti-tetanus antibody titers during pregnancy were associated with protective antibody titers in their infants.
- This indicates that maternal immunization contributes to infant protection against tetanus.
Impact:
- Highlights the importance of maternal tetanus vaccination to establish protective antibody titers in newborns.
- Suggests potential for delayed infant vaccination schedules without compromising short-term protection if mothers are adequately immunized.
- Provides insights into the immunomodulatory effects of early-life tetanus vaccination.
Abstract:
The authors attempt to evaluate the degree of immune response to the first dose of anti-tetanus vaccination in young infants and to study the correlation between maternal and infantile antitetanus antibody titers. The sample studied comprised 5 males and 5 females aged between 61 and 75 days old, without acute and/or chronic pathologies and uncircumsized. Three samples of peripheral venous blood were collected for each infant: 1 at time 0, and the other two during the 15 days after the administration of the first dose of tetanus toxoid. The results support the hypothesis that vaccinal stimulation has a greater effect on cellular rather than humoral immunity, causing an increase in the CD4/CD8 ratio and a decrease in CD16. The study confirms that women with high antitetanus antibody titers during pregnancy have children with protective antibody titers. This underlines the importance of vaccinating pregnant women who, for various reasons, have not been immunised so as to prevent infantile tetanus and to allow the possibility of delaying, if necessary, the administration of the first dose of toxoid in infants without the risk of short-term toxoinfection.