Antibody Responses to Four Haemophilus influenzae Type b Conjugate Vaccines

Abstract

Serum antibody responses to four Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines (PRP-D, HbOC, C7p, and PRP-T) were studied and compared in 175 infants, 85 adults and 140 2-year-old children. Antibodies to the H influenzae type b polysaccharide vaccines were determined with a Farr-type radioimmunoassay. The infants received two doses of vaccine at the ages of 4 and 6 months. After the first dose of vaccine, the geometric mean antibody concentration measured at the age of 6 months was 0.09 to 0.10 mg/L, only marginally higher than that measured before immunization in all infants who had received PRP-D, HbOC, or C7p but increased to 0.82 mg/L in those who had received PRP-T. One month after the second dose, the geometric mean antibody concentration was increased in all vaccine groups. No significant differences were noted between recipients of HbOC, C7p, or PRP-T (geometric mean antibody concentrations, 4.32, 3.10, and 6.10 mg/L, respectively), whereas the PRP-D recipients had a significantly lower geometric mean antibody concentration (0.63 mg/L). In contrast, PRP-D, HbOC, C7p, and PRP-T were all highly immunogenic in adults, with no differences noted among them. The 2-year-old children also responded to one dose of these vaccines with a high antibody concentration.