No abstract

One hundred unselected adult volunteers received an adult diphtheria (less than 2 Lf)-tetanus (greater than or equal to 40 IU) adsorbed vaccine without prior Schick testing. No volunteer had a moderate or severe reaction although 39% complained of a transient sore arm. Only 10% reported local erythema. Of the study group, 37/43 (86%) patients who were initially seronegative for diphtheria attained levels normally considered as seropositive. The results confirm the safety and efficacy of adult diphtheria-tetanus vaccine and allow its recommendation for use in 'at risk' individuals without the need for prior Schick testing.

One hundred and twenty healthy volunteers were recruited for a study to evaluate the reactogenicity and serological response of differing doses of the 1986/87 World Health Organization-recommended influenza viral strains. Each vaccine was prepared by Institut Merieux and contained A/Mississippi/1/85, A/Chile/1/83 and B/Ann Arbor/1/86. One vaccine was formulated as a 10/10/10 micrograms HA and the other as a 15/10/15 micrograms HA. No significant advantage could be found with the 15/10/15 micrograms HA combination and it was recommended, therefore, that a 10/10/10 micrograms HA formulation was to be preferred. This vaccine demonstrated a minimal cross-sensitivity to the A/Singapore/6/86 influenza strain. In view of the prevalence of the A/Singapore strain, a second study was subsequently undertaken with a monovalent A/Singapore/6/86-like vaccine in a further 62 volunteers. This demonstrated an overall sero-conversion rate of 90%. Local side-effects with both vaccines were lower than in a similar study in 1984 and this may reflect a reduction in endotoxin levels achieved by a minor modification in the manufacturing technique. These studies confirmed the efficacy of a trivalent A/Mississippi, A/Chile, B/Ann Arbor influenza vaccine and the efficacy of, and necessity for, an additional A/Singapore vaccine.

One hundred adult male volunteers were randomized to receive either Merieux or Wellcome RA27/3 rubella vaccine. Prior to vaccination, 10% of the subjects were seronegative and all of these seroconverted. No significant boosting effect was found in those with a high pre-vaccine titre but some boost was shown in those with a low level. Side-effects reported were mild and self-limiting. No clinically or statistically significant difference could be found between the two vaccines. It is suggested that in view of the finding of 10% seronegative adult males it would be worthwhile considering routine screening of all medical staff who have contact with women in the early months of pregnancy.

No abstract