P. Richmond et al., Meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccine is immunogenic in infancy and primes for memory, J INFEC DIS, 179(6), 1999, pp. 1569-1572
The safety, immunogenicity, and immunologic priming of 2 dosages (2 mu g or
10 mu g) of a meningococcal C oligosaccharide-CRM197 conjugate vaccine was
evaluated in 114 infants vaccinated at ages 2, 3, and 4 months. Antibody p
ersistence and response to boosting with 10 ag Of meningococcal C polysacch
aride were assessed. The meningococcal conjugate vaccine produced fewer loc
al reactions than concurrent routine immunizations. Total serogroup C-speci
fic immunoglobulin geometric mean concentration (GMC) increased from 0.3 mu
g/mL before vaccination to 13.1 mu g/mL at age 5 months. Serum bactericida
l antibody (SBA) geometric mean titers (GMTs) rose from <1:4 to 1:1057 at 5
months and fell by 14 months to 1:19. Following boosting, anti-C-specific
immunoglobulin GMC rose to 15.9 mu g/mL and SEA GMT to 1:495, Antibody resp
onses in the 10-mu g dose cohort were significantly higher at 5 months (P <
.01) than in the 2-mu g dose cohort but were lower after polysaccharide bo
osting (P = .02), This meningococcal conjugate vaccine was well tolerated a
nd immunogenic and induced immunologic memory in infants.