THE PRIMARY SEROLOGICAL RESPONSE TO A SINGLE DOSE OF ADSORBED TETANUS TOXOID, HIGH-CONCENTRATION TYPE

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (5) , 745-752
Abstract
Single-dose immunization against tetanus was studied in 511 previouly nonimmunized residents of rural villages in Upper Volta. Males and females were equally represented and a wide age range was covered. A single dose of adsorbed tetanus toxoid containing 17.5 Limes flocculation U of toxoid and 3.86 mg of aluminium phosphate/0.5 ml dose was used. Blood samples were taken 7 days, 2 mo. and 12 mo. after immunization, and serum antitoxin titers were determined by neutralization titrations in mice. Adverse reactions were negligible. Only 2 participants gave evidence of prior immunization by developing detectable antitoxin titers after 7 days; they were eliminated from the study. After 12 mo., 59% of the participants had antitoxin titers of .gtoreq. 0.01 IU/ml, a titer usually considered protective. The mean titer and the proportion of those protected decreased substantially with increasing age; overall, females gave somewhat greater serological responses than males. Mean titer increased by 25% 2 mo.-1 yr after immunization; the increase was greater in females than in males. In children < 6 yr of age, 100% of females and 82% of males had protective titers after 1 yr.