Immunogenicity and safety of a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) when given as a toddler dose to children immunized with PCV7 as infants.

13-Valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) administered as a 4-dose series in infants, and as a toddler dose in infants previously vaccinated with PCV7 elicited comparable vaccine serotypes IgG responses to the seven common serotypes. PCV13 elicited functional responses to the six additional serotypes in both schedules after the toddler dose. The toddler dose boosted immune responses. The two regimens had comparable safety profiles. A toddler dose of PCV13 given in children previously vaccinated with PCV7 should be effective in preventing pneumococcal disease caused by common serotypes, providing protection against the additional serotypes, and supporting the transition from PCV7 to PCV13.

[The safety and immunogenicity of an heptavalent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (Prevenar) administered in association with a whole-cell pertussis-based pediatric combination vaccine (DTP-IPV/PRP-T) to French infants with a two-, three-, and four-month schedule]. / Tolérance et immunogénicité d'un vaccin pneumococcique osidique conjugué heptavalent (Prevenar) administré en association avec une combinaison vaccinale pédiatrique (DTCoq-Polio/Hib) à des nourrissons selon le schéma vaccinal français à l'âge de deux, trois et quatre mois.

UNLABELLED: Invasive pneumococcal disease is presently a leading cause of mortality due to bacterial infectious diseases in French children less than 2 years of age, and only the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines induce a protective immune response for those within this vulnerable age group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The safety and immunogenicity of a heptavalent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (PREVENAR was tested in French infants immunized with the 2, 3 and 4 month French schedule as part of an open, randomized, comparative clinical study, in association with a whole-cell pertussis-based pediatric combination vaccine. RESULTS: In the PREVENAR plus DTP-IPV/Hib association group, 90.6-100% of children achieved a post-dose three threshold IgG concentration of >0.15 microg/ml against each of the seven pneumococcal serotypes. Regarding immunogenicity, no interference with the antibody response to the various antigenic components of the DTP-IPV/Hib vaccine was observed. Local reactions were significantly less frequent at the PREVENAR injection site than at the DTP-IPV/Hib injection site; there was no increase in systemic adverse events in the vaccine association group compared to the DTP-IPV/Hib alone group, further exception of fever >38 degrees C which was more frequently reported in the PREVENAR + PENTACOQ group following the second dose of vaccines (56% vs. 35%); no serious adverse event could be considered to be related to the PREVENAR immunization in this study. CONCLUSION: The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is immunogenic when administered at 2, 3 and 4 months. PREVENAR can be administered simultaneously with the DTP-IPV/Hib combination vaccine.

Thermally stimulated relaxations in DNA.

The thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) measurements in frozen aqueous solutions, gels and solid layers of NaDNA show typically up to three dipolar overlapping peaks in the low-temperature range of 80-150 K. Up to four discrete relaxation peaks have been observed at higher temperatures above 150 K. The low-temperature TSDC peaks are due to the dipolar relaxations of free and loosely bound water which crystallizes. Part of bound water especially in the first hydration shell of DNA molecule is at low temperatures in the form of glass. The transition of this glass from solidlike behavior to liquidlike behavior observed mainly in gels and solid samples is associated with a previously founded TSDC relaxation peak. The peak is at its maximum at 165-250 K depending on the sample humidity. Existence of this relaxation in the samples with water contents in a broad range confirms, that the slowly relaxing shell (minimally 5-7 water molecules/nucleotide) closely associated with DNA double helix retains its characteristics. Also another peak of the high-temperature band at 180-205 K which was observed in the samples at hydration 2-1800 g H2O/g dry NaDNA is due to a relaxation in the sample volume. At the highest temperatures relax the space charges trapped at the electrodes.

[Bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Course over 3 years in 88 children born between 1984 and 1988]. / Dysplasie bronchopulmonaire. Evolution à 2 ans de 88 enfants nés entre 1984 et 1988.

BACKGROUND: The survival and outcome of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BD) depend on the patient's maturity, the severity of the BD and nutritional problems. This study evaluates the specific role of chronic pulmonary failure in the growth and development of infants recovering from BD. POPULATION AND METHODS: 88 infants admitted for BD from January 1984 to December 1988, having gestational age from 25 to 41 weeks 5 days (mean: 29) and birth weight from 680 to 3,400 g (mean: 1,195) were studied. All infants were given respiratory support for 6 to 914 days (mean 84) and oxygen therapy for 28 to 1,232 days (mean: 119). 29 infants were given corticosteroids for more than 1 month. The outcome of the 80 infants with gestational ages of less than 33 weeks was compared to that of 272 infants with the same gestational age but not suffering from BD on their 28th day. The infants in both groups were examined at 2 years of age and classified as: a) handicapped (neurologic deficit, IQ < 80, hearing loss, blindness, convulsions); b) doubtful (transitory neurology dysfunction); c) normal. RESULTS: Of the 88 infants still living at the age of 28 days, 19 died before the age of 2 years: 16 of the 64 surviving infants who could be followed until the age of 2 years were classified as handicapped, 13 were considered doubtful and 35 were normal. The more significant risk factors for neurodevelopmental impairment were: a) the presence of porencephaly and/or ventricular dilatation on brain ultrasonography; b) head circumference < -2 SD at the end of hospital stay; c) oxygen therapy and hospitalization > 5-6 months. The group of infants with BD had a higher death rate (24% vs. 3.7 in the group without BD) and more frequent neurodevelopmental impairment at gestational ages of > 31-32 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: BD is an extra risk for the survival and neurodevelopment of infants with gestational age > 31 weeks.

[Thrombosis and antiprothrombinase in children. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Thrombose et antiprothrombinase chez l'enfant. A propos de deux observations.

Two cases of arterial and venous thrombosis associated with lupus anticoagulant are reported. The first case was observed in the context of a systemic lupus erythematosus. In the second case, no underlying disease was found. From these 2 cases and a review of the literature, the particularities of this association in children is discussed.