All issues > Volume 30(6); 1987

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1987;30(6):625-632. Published online June 30, 1987.

Specific Immunoglobulin Responses Against Tetanus Toxoid after DPT Vaccination.

Kyung Jin Shin¹, Sng Nam Chun¹, Heon Seob Song¹, Dae Yeal Lee¹, Jung Soo Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Chonju, Korea

Abstract

DPT vaccination has successfully been applied to the prevention of tetanus infection. Edsall (1949) reported the presence of serum tetanus antitoxin after tetanus toxoid immunization. Gill et al (1983) also demonstrated that the values of tetanus specific IgM were increased on neonates after maternal tetanus toxiod immunization. The present study was performed to define the humoral immune responses after DPT vaccination. Changes of tetanus specific IgG and IgM were evaluated using ELISA method on 196 cases of 6 groups according to the frequency of DPT vaccination. Alum-precipitated tetanus toxoid was used as antigen for ELISA. The results were as follows; 1) IgG was mainly involved in humoral immune responses against tetanus toxoid after DPT vaccination. 2) At least 2 times of vaccination was required to obtain the significant increase of tetanus specific IgG. The values of tetanus specific IgG were maintained for 2 years after vaccination, and decreased slowly thereafter (p<0.01). 3) The values of tetanus specific IgG were similar in both primary group (DPT 3 times) and booster group (DPT 4 times) for 2 years after vaccination, but significantly decreased in primary group after 2 years of vaccination (p<0.01). 4) The values of tetanus specific IgG were very low in adults and neonates. These results suggest that continuous booster vaccination on adults and pregnant women may be required.

Keywords :DPT vaccination; Tetanus specific immunoglobulin.