Immunogenicity and safety of pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine (diphtheria CRM(197) protein conjugate; Prevenar ) in Korean infants: differences that are found in Asian children.

This study was conducted to determine the immunogenicity and safety of a 7-valent CRM197 protein conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7) in Korean infants immunized at 2, 4 and 6 months. A total of 202 infants were enrolled and 146 and 141 infants were, respectively, included in post-2nd dose and post-3rd dose immunogenicity evaluations conducted on a per protocol basis. After two and three PCV7 vaccinations, 63.0-98.0 and 97.2-100% of infants achieved an antibody level of >or=0.35microg/mL, respectively, with a lowest against serotype 6B. No vaccination-related serious adverse reactions were observed. Thus, PCV7 appears safe and highly immunogenic in Korean infants, and adopting two doses for a primary series could be a feasible option for facilitating vaccine coverage rate.