Humoral immunity of dTap-IPV vaccine (REPEVAX®) administered one month after dT-IPV vaccine (REVAXIS®) in adults with unknown vaccination history.

This study was to assess the humoral immune response induced by a vaccination schedule routinely used in France in 18-50 year old adults with unknown vaccination history. In this monocentric, prospective study, subjects received one dose of REVAXIS® (dT-IPV, diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis (inactivated) vaccine (adsorbed, reduced antigen(s) content)) (Visit 1) followed by one dose of REPEVAX® (dTap-IPV, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (acellular, component) and poliomyelitis (inactivated) vaccine (adsorbed, reduced antigen(s) content)) one month later (Visit 2). Antibodies against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis types 1, 2 and 3, and pertussis toxin (PT) were measured one month after the administration of REPEVAX® (Visit 3). A total of 136 subjects were included in the study, but blood samples were available for only 73 subjects. Their mean age at inclusion was 33.2 ± 7.3 years. 49.3% of the 73 subjects originated from the WHO African Region, 6.8% from the WHO Western Pacific Region and 5.5% from the WHO European Region. One month after REPEVAX® administration, all subjects had seroprotective antibody titers against diphtheria and tetanus (≥0.1 IU/mL), poliomyelitis types 2 and 3 (≥ 8 1/dil); one subject (1.4%) did not have antibodies against poliomyelitis type 1. The rate of anti-PT seropositivity (≥8 EU/mL) was 94.4%. One dose of REPEVAX® administered one month after a dose of REVAXIS® in subjects with unknown vaccination history induced a high humoral response. These results validate a vaccination schedule routinely used for years that rapidly elicits effective immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis and pertussis.

Antibodies to tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis among healthy adults vaccinated according to the French vaccination recommendations.

In this sero-epidemiological study, we investigated humoral immunity to three vaccine-preventable diseases--tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis--among 331 adults (aged 18-60 years) attending vaccination centres for travellers and who had been vaccinated according to national recommendations in France. Serological results showed that the percentage of subjects with antibodies to diphtheria and tetanus decreases with age. Results also confirmed surveillance data on vaccination in France, with 7.6% of the study population (13.4% of those aged 18-29 years) having recently acquired a pertussis infection. These results confirm the importance of following French recommendations for regular boosters for tetanus and diphtheria among adults. They also indicate the need for better implementation of the current recommendations for pertussis-vaccine boosters in adults.

[A center in Paris for screening and counselling sickle cell patients and carriers]. / Centre d'information et de dépistage de la drépanocytose a Paris.

Prevention of sickle cell anemia, a severe and painful disease, relies on carrier detection and information, and on prenatal diagnosis with the possibility of medical abortion. Here we report the first results of a medical and welfare program launched in Paris 20 months ago and dedicated to sickle cell carrier screening and information.

[Prophylaxis for contacts of an index case of hepatitis A: immunoglobulins or vaccination?]. / Prophylaxie autour d'un cas index d'hépatite A: immunoglobulines ou vaccination?

France has changed from a country where hepatitis A is endemic to one where residents are at risk of hepatitis A infection: in 20 years, the seroprevalence in 20-year-olds has fallen from 50% to less than 10%. Prophylaxis for close contacts of an index case has therefore become a major problem because their risk of hepatitis A is high. Polyvalent immunoglobulins are recommended in several countries, but no immunoglobulins are approved for this indication in France. Immunoglobulins are also expensive and only slightly efficacious. A vaccine against hepatitis A administered to young children or adolescents can break the epidemic chain and protect adults very effectively by limiting virus circulation. Many countries propose early vaccination to at-risk contacts, with vaccination generally advised within a week of the initial infectious contact. Although more specific and more plentiful data are still necessary before this recommendation can be generalized, it must be taken into account. This medical decision should thus be made on an individualized basis after discussion between the physician and family about the risk.