ACELLULAR PERTUSSIS VACCINES AND VACCINES COMBINATIONS

Combined vaccines are growing to perform the simultaneous administrati on of vaccines without multiplying injections. The questions araising are : what is the serologic response for each vaccine, old or new, the safety of the new combination. The combined vaccines including the ne w acellular pertussis vaccines are diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis vaccines and anti-haemophilus and hepatitis B new vaccines. Recent stu dies show that the new acellular vaccines are associated to lower anti bodies levels for PRP-(haemophilus) : so, new trials are needed to ans wer to this important question. The very new results of pertussis vacc ines trials confirm the efficacy of acellular vaccines somewhat lower than the best whole-cell pertussis vaccines. The age for late boosters with pertussis acellular vaccine is yet discussed : 6 years, 11-13 ye ars, adults ? In fact only the good surveillance of pertussis in each country will answer for validation of a new schedule for pertussis lat e immunizations.