PASSIVE IMMUNITY IN INFANTS AND THEIR RESPONSE TO DIPHTHERIA TOXOID

3 August 1935

journal article
research article
Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in JAMA

Vol. 105 (5) , 341-342
https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1935.02760310015004

Abstract

The most favorable age at which vaccination against diphtheria should be carried out is a matter of considerable disagreement. It is desirable to obtain immunity at as early an age as possible. In private practice, pediatricians have been recommending such active immunization at the end of the first year. Recently, vigorous public health programs have been advancing the age to 6 months. There are two factors that enter into the question of the advisability of vaccination at this age: (1) the fact that young individuals are poor formers of antitoxin and (2) the fact that a considerable proportion of infants still retain their passive immunity at this age. In a recent publication, one of us¹ has shown that infants under 6 months of age respond to vaccination less favorably than those over this age, in that the percentage immunized is smaller; and, even when immunity is obtained, it is

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: