RESUMEN
Abstract Introduction: Maternal immunization provides potential means for protecting infants against some infections with universal application
Objective: This study was designed to determine the levels of immunity against Diphtheria and Tetanus in mothers and their two mounths old infants who reffered for vaccination, and evaluate the relation of mothers vaccination on their infants immunity and determine the ratio of mothers who didn't observe the vaccination during pregnancy
Materials and Methods: Sera were collected from 110 mother-infant pairs before DTwP vaccination and from 69 infants after receipt of three doses of DTP vaccine. Anti diphtheria, anti tetanus toxins IgG levels were measured by ELIZA. History of DT vaccination of mothers at pregnancy was recorded. The mean concentration of antibodies against diphtheria and tetanus in mother and their infants before vaccination and in infants after receipt of 3doses of DTwP vaccine were measured and compared by paired t-test
Results: Of 110 mothers, 22 [20%] did not receive dT vaccine. Of these 22 unvaccinated mothers, one [4.5%] and six [27.2%] were serologically susceptible to tetanus and diphtheria respectively. The mean concentrations of antibodies titers of unvaccinated mothers were significantly lower than vaccinated mothers. All infants acquired immunity against both infections after receipt of three doses of DTP vaccine. Infants' immune response to DTP was not affected by maternal immunization
Conclusion: Diphtheria - tetanus toxoids components of DTP vaccine were highly immunologenic, According to lack of vaccination in pregnancy, more effort must be made to increase the coverage rate of this highly immunogenic vaccine to sustain protection against diphtheria and tetanus