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Tetanus vaccine strategies must be different for low- and high-risk leukemia groups

08-05-2006

Tetanus vaccine strategies must be different for low- and high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia groups

Researchers in Sweden conducted a study "to investigate the possible relationship between serum levels and avidities of antibodies against tetanus toxoid (TT) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in children that were vaccinated after treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)."

"The study groups were 31 pediatric patients with ALL and 18 healthy controls. All subjects were vaccinated with TT and a protein conjugated Hib vaccine. Antibody levels were analyzed at three time points: at diagnosis of ALL, after cessation of treatment before vaccination, and three weeks after vaccination. Avidity was measured twice, with a thiocyanate elution assay, at diagnosis of ALL and three weeks after vaccination," said Torben Ek and colleagues at Goteborg University.

"There was a correlation between level and avidity of tetanus antibodies after vaccination (rs =0.59, p<0.001)," the researchers reported. "In the standard-risk and intermediate-risk ALL groups, all patients responded with protective levels of tetanus antibodies with normal avidity. In the high-risk ALL group 7/9 patients had subprotective levels of tetanus antibodies after vaccination and concomitantly the lowest avidity, implying poor protection against tetanus. No patients were found with low levels and low avidity of anti-Hib IgG, and 29/31 patients had full protection after a single dose of conjugated Hib-vaccine."

"The vaccination strategy after childhood ALL must be different for low-risk and high-risk ALL groups, since the high-risk group fail to elicit a recall response to tetanus," the authors concluded.

Ek and associates published the results of their research in Acta Paediatrica (Avidity of tetanus and Hib antibodies after childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - implications for vaccination strategies. Acta Paediatr, 2006;95(6):701-706).

For additional information, contact Torben Ek, Department of Pediatrics, Goteborg University, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, SE-41685 Goteborg, Sweden.

The publisher of the journal Acta Paediatrica can be contacted at: Taylor and Francis AS, PO Box 12 Posthuset, NO-0051 Oslo, Norway.

Keywords: Goteborg, Sweden, Vaccine Efficacy, Tetanus Vaccine, Pediatric Vaccine, Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Hib Vaccine, Haemophilus influenzae Type B Vaccine, Immunology, Immunotherapy, Pediatrics, Oncology.

This article was prepared by Hematology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Hematology Week via NewsRx.com.