Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Jun 2006)

Diphtheria-neutralizing antibody levels in healthy adults from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • Fabricia Pires Pimenta,
  • Paulo Vieira Damasco,
  • José Cerbino Neto,
  • Guilherme Santoro Lopes,
  • Raphael Hirata Jr,
  • Lucimar Gonçalves Milagres,
  • Ana Luíza Mattos-Guaraldi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02762006000400019
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 101, no. 4
pp. 459 – 462

Abstract

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In Brazil, until 2004, the immunization policy against diphtheria involved childhood vaccination with no official routine booster dose administered after 15 years of age. This study assessed functional antibody levels against diphtheria among blood donors. A total of 140 blood samples were collected, and diphtheria antitoxin levels were evaluated by Vero cell neutralization test. The mean age of the population was 34 years old (range: 18-61 years); 37.8% females and 62.2% males. Overall, 30.7% (95%, CI: 23.4-38.7) individuals presented neutralizing antitoxin antibody titers < 0.01 IU/ml; 42.1% (95%, CI: 34.1-50.4) showed values between 0.01-0.09 IU/ml and, 27.1% (95%, CI: 20.2-34.9) had ³ 0.1 IU/ml. In the subgroup of individuals with history of diphtheria immunization during childhood (85%), a number of 28.5% showed unprotective levels of circulating neutralizing antibody (< 0.01 IU/ml). Despite the continuous progress of immunization programs directed to Brazilian population, currently healthy adults remain susceptible to diphtheria.

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