Abstract
Here we report the first evaluation of T-cell responses upon a second acellular pertussis booster vaccination in Dutch children at 9 years of age, 5 years after a preschool booster vaccination. Blood samples of children 9 years of age were studied longitudinally until 1 year after the second aP booster and compared with those after the first aP booster in children 4 and 6 years of age from a cross-sectional study. After stimulation with pertussis-vaccine antigens, Th1, Th2 and Th17 cytokine responses were measured and effector memory cells (CCR7-CD45RA-) were characterized by 8-colour FACS analysis. The second aP booster vaccination at pre-adolescent age in wP primed individuals did increase pertussis-specific Th1 and Th2 cytokine responses. Noticeably, almost all T-cell responses had increased with age and were already high before the booster vaccination at 9 years of age. The enhancement of T-cell immunity during the 5 year following the booster at 4 years of age is probably caused by natural boosting due to the a high circulation of pertussis. However, the incidence of pertussis is high in adolescents and adults who have only received the Dutch wP vaccine during infancy and no booster at 4 years of age. Therefore, an aP booster vaccination at adolescence or later in these populations might improve long-term immunity against pertussis and reduce the transmission to the vulnerable newborns.Trial RegistrationControlled-Trials.com ISRCTN64117538
Highlights
Since the introduction of pertussis vaccination in the developed world, disease incidence, morbidity and mortality have decreased [1]
We recently demonstrated that an extra acellular pertussis (aP) booster vaccination at 9 years of age induced elevated antibody responses that persisted even after one year due to enhanced memory B-cell levels one month post booster [12]
PBMCs were measured against the different pertussis vaccine antigens and geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of PT, FHA, Prn-specific T-cell cytokines were calculated
Summary
Since the introduction of pertussis vaccination in the developed world, disease incidence, morbidity and mortality have decreased [1]. In the Netherlands rises in pertussis incidence are seen every 2–3 years from 1996 onwards [3]. For this reason, several changes in the Dutch pertussis immunization program have been implemented. In 1999, primary vaccinations with the whole cell (wP) vaccine were advanced to 2, 3 and 4 months of age, followed by a booster at 11 months of age. In 2001, a high-dose acellular pertussis (aP) vaccination was introduced at 4 years of age as a preschool booster. The previous pertussis peakincidence in the age-cohort of children of 4–5 years in 2001 has shifted towards the age-cohort of 12–13 years nowadays in the Netherlands [4] (F.R. Mooi, personal communication). The burden of whooping cough has shifted from young children to pre-adolescents and adults [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
