HUMORAL ANTIBODY FORMATION IN INFANTS AGED ONE TO THREE MONTHS INJECTED WITH A TRIPLE (DIPHTHERIA-TETANUS-PERTUSSIS) ALUM-PRECIPITATED ANTIGEN

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Abstract
Immunization of infants, 1 to 3 months of age, with an alum-precipitated antigen containing diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and Hemophilus pertussis organisms resulted in satisfactory humoral antibody levels against diphtheria and tetanus. Ninety-seven per cent of the subjects tested revealed more than the generally accepted level of protection against diphtheria and 94% showed a similar result against tetanus. In regard to pertussis, only a few of the immunized infants developed agglutinative titers of 1:320 or higher. However, analysis of the titers in terms of the expected number of cases of pertussis, if subjected to family exposure, indicates that probably 75% of the infants were protected. When tested six months after the completion of the original series of injections, each of 29 infants gave positive skin reactions to the injection of agglutinogen.