Immunogenicity and safety of a DTaP-IPV//PRP-T vaccine (Pentaxim) booster during the second year of life in Thai children primed with an acellular pertussis combined vaccine.

This study assessed the booster immune response to a pentavalent combination vaccine containing diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, inactivated poliovirus, and conjugated-Hib polysaccharide antigens, (DTaP-IPV//PRP-T, Pentaxim, an AcXim family vaccine) at 18-24 months of age. Study subjects received a three-dose primary vaccination at 2, 4 and 6 months with a hexavalent vaccine containing the same antigens plus recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen. Antibody concentrations were measured immediately before and one month after vaccination. Reactogenicity and safety were evaluated from parent reports. Before the booster dose, 92.9% of the 156 children included in this study still had anti-PRP antibody titers > or = 0.15 microg/ml. Seroprotective concentrations of anti-diphtheria, tetanus and poliovirus antibodies were maintained in 97 to 100% of subjects in the interval between primary and booster vaccination. One month after the booster dose, all subjects had seroprotective anti-PRP (> or = 1 microg/ml), diphtheria and tetanus (> or = 0.1 IU/ml) and poliovirus types 1, 2, 3 (> or = 8 1/dil) antibody levels. At least 92.3% of subjects had 4-fold increases in concentrations of anti-pertussis antigens from pre- to post-booster dose. Geometric mean titers (GMTs) increased from 3.8 to 181.2 EU/ml and from 18.0 to 289.7 EU/ml for anti-PT and anti-FHA, respectively. The anti-PRP GMT increased from 1.6 to 58.0 microg/ml. The pentavalent DTaP-IPV//PRP-T vaccine booster was well tolerated and highly immunogenic, following primary vaccination with a hexavalent vaccine.

Evidence of influenza or influenza-like-illness preceding acute coronary syndrome.

This observational study determined the prevalence of influenza and influenza-like-illness (ILI) in patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Serological confirmation and a clinical history of influenza or a recent acute upper respiratory infection were obtained in 376 patients admitted to Maharaj Nakhon Chiang Mai Hospital, Thailand, from June 2006 through May 2007 for ACS. We found evidence of confirmed influenza preceding ACS in 47 patients (12.5%) and for recent ILI in 41 patients (11%). There were more influenza and ILI patients admitted in the winter than in other months. Influenza vaccination may be protective in high risk patients.