Immunization of Preterm Infants With 10-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 

Pediatrics, 08/20/2011

Omenaca F et al. – Pneumococcal nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD–CV) was well tolerated and immunogenic in preterm infants when given as a 3–dose primary vaccination, with robust enzyme–linked immunosorbent assay antibody and OPA booster responses in the second year of life.

Methods

• Three parallel groups of infants received 3-dose primary immunization with PHiD-CV at 2, 4, and 6 months of age and a booster dose at 16 to 18 months: preterm I; preterm II; and term.
• Solicited symptoms and adverse events were recorded.
• Immune responses to PHiD-CV and coadministered vaccine antigens were measured.

• The incidence of solicited general symptoms was similar across groups, and the frequency of grade 3 general symptoms was low.
• Incidences of redness and swelling were generally lower in preterm infants.
• PHiD-CV was immunogenic for each of the 10 vaccine pneumococcal serotypes and for protein D, with a trend for lower postprimary geometric mean antibody concentrations and opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) titers in preterm infants for some pneumococcal serotypes.
• Postbooster, >91.9% of subjects in each group had an OPA titer > 8 for each of the vaccine serotypes.
• Pneumococcal antibody concentrations and OPA titers after priming and booster vaccination were comparable between the 2 preterm groups.