FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUPERIOR ANTIBODY-RESPONSES TO A SINGLE-DOSE OF HAEMOPHILUS-INFLUENZAE TYPE-B TETANUS TOXOID CONJUGATE VACCINE ADMINISTERED TO CHILEAN INFANTS AT 2 MONTHS OF AGE

The anticapsular antibody response of Chilean infants to a single dose of Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide-tetanus toro id conjugate vaccine is substantially higher than that observed among infants of similar age from the USA. Comparison of selected demographi c and environmental factors indicates that low maternal education and a greater number of persons in the home are significantly associated w ith the superior responder phenotype. High anticapsular antibody respo nses were associated with high antibody responses to tetanus toroid th e carrier protein in this conjugate, but not to diphtheria toxoid. The se data suggest that environmental factors may enhance the magnitude o f the primary antibody response to PRP-T vaccine. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sc ience Ltd.