Antibody persistence in UK pre-school children following primary series with an acellular pertussis-containing pentavalent vaccine given concomitantly with meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine, and response to a booster dose of an acellular pertussis-containing quadrivalent vaccine.

This open-label, randomised, controlled study examined antibody persistence following infant vaccination at 2, 3 and 4 months of age with either an acellular pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, inactivated poliovirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b (DT(5)aP-IPV-Hib; Pediacel) or a whole-cell pertussis (DTwP//Hib+oral poliomyelitis vaccine [OPV]) combination vaccine, given concomitantly with meningococcal serogroup C conjugate (MCC) vaccine, followed by a Hib booster at approximately 15 months of age. Immune responses were sustained to 3.5-4.5 years of age for all antigens contained in Pediacel. Administration of an acellular pertussis-containing quadrivalent pre-school booster (Td(5)ap-IPV; Repevax), with or without measles, mumps and rubella (M-M-RII) vaccine, induced robust antibody responses indicative of protection, regardless of the vaccine used for the primary series. Reactogenicity of Repevax was acceptable and consistent with previous experience.