Efficacy of a two-component acellular pertussis vaccine in infants

Objective. This case-control study investigated the protective efficacy against pertussis of three doses of a two-component acellular pertussis vaccine (manufactured by Biken in Japan) combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (manufactured by Connaught Laboratories in the US) in infants. Methods. A case-control study was performed in 63 pediatric practices in Germany. Prospective recruitment of 16 780 infants ages 6 to 17 weeks took place between February, 1993, and July, 1994. According to parental choice infants received either Biken acellular pertussis vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DTacP) (74.6%) at ∼2, 4 and 6 months of age, or a licensed German diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-whole cell pertussis vaccine (10.9%), diphtheriatetanus toxoids vaccine (12.5%) or no vaccine (2.0%). Prospective surveillance of pertussis cases between February, 1993, and May, 1995, was accomplished by culturing all infants ≤2 years of age presenting with cough ≥7 days. A pertussis case was defined as any cough of 21 days or longer plus a positive Bordetella pertussis culture or household contact exposure. Results. We identified 241 pertussis cases prospectively by 11 017 B. pertussis cultures and 949 controls matched for age were selected from the same pediatric practices. Medical history and demographic and vaccine status data were collected from each case and for four controls. Data were analyzed through conditional logistic regression taking into account individual matching and adjusting for potential confounding variables. DTacP combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids vaccine was 82% protective (95% confidence interval, 68 to 90), diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-whole cell pertussis vaccine was 96% protective (95% confidence interval, 78 to 99). Protection against typical B. pertussis infection characterized by paroxysmal cough lasting ≥21 days was 96% (95% confidence interval, 87 to 99) for DTacP and was 97% (95% confidence interval, 79 to 100) for diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-whole cell pertussis vaccine. Adjustment for potentially confounding variables did not change the results significantly. Conclusions. Three doses of the two-component acellular pertussis vaccine protected infants against pertussis disease during the period before the recommended booster vaccination. For typical pertussis disease as defined by the WHO efficacy was high and similar to that of a licensed German diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-whole cell pertussis vaccine.