Humoral antibody responses to biannual multiantigen vaccination: report of a field trial on children in Sudan

SUMMARY

One hundred and sixty-six children aged 3–30/12 were enrolled in this study. Initially all children were given a single injection containing live measles vaccine, diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, inactivated polio vaccine and meningococcal, A & C polysaccharide, plus an intradermal injection of BCG. In a second visit 6 months later each child was tuberculin tested and given a second dose of all the above vaccines with the exception of BCG. Blood samples were obtained before and 1 month after each vaccination. Following the second dose there was satisfactory sero-conversion for all the vaccines. Tuberculin positivity rose from 5·4% before BCG vaccination to 94·4% 6 months after its administration. It is concluded that it is safe and effective to give these antigens simultaneously and that this particular schedule lends itself for use with nomadic and other unaccessible groups of population.