Pertussis IgE and atopic disease

Background Pertussis toxin (PT) stimulates IgE production in animals, and p ertussis vaccination and whooping cough may have similar effects in man. Methods We analyzed IgE responses to PT (PT-IgE) in sera from children prim arily immunized with three doses of either an acellular 2- or 5-component v accine, or a whole-cell (Wc) pertussis vaccine, and in children after whoop ing cough. The study comprised 50 children with both atopic disease and pos itive skin prick test, 99 nonatopic controls, and 40 children with verified pertussis. Results Immunoglobulin E antibodies against PT were demonstrated in 19% and 24% of sera from vaccinated children at 7 and 12 months, respectively, and in 9% at 2.5 years. At 7 months, PT-IgE was more common after vaccination with acellular (24%) than with the We vaccine (3%, P=0.02). PT-IgE was also more common (P= 0.001) after vaccination in children classified as atopic (36%) than in the control group (10%). Thirty percent of the children with pertussis had PT-IgE, more often so in atopic than Division oi Pediatrics n onatopic children (P=0.02). Conclusions Transient production of PT-IgE seems to be common after primary pertussis immunization with acellular vaccines, and after whooping cough, particularly in atopic subjects.