Factors Influencing Persistence of Diphtheria Immunity and Immune Response to a Booster Dose in Healthy Slovak Adults.

We assessed the long-term persistence of humoral immunity against diphtheria in adults with childhood vaccination and the immunogenicity of a booster dose considering demographic, behavioural and vaccinating factors. We conducted a trial in 200 healthy Slovak adults aged 24-65 years, immunised against diphtheria in childhood and against tetanus at regular 10-15 year intervals, and receiving a dose of a tetanus-diphtheria toxoid vaccine. The response was determined by ELISA antibody concentrations of paired sera before and at 4 weeks post-vaccination.

HOW DO WE EVALUATE AND MANAGE MANY DIFFERENT VACCINATION SCHEDULES IN THE EU?

Background: Vaccines are biologic medical products, the biological activity and characteristics of which are significantly different from common drugs and other medical products. The process of determining the dosing (vaccination) schedule for a particular vaccine is based on different principles and rules than other drugs. The dosing schedule for drugs is based on the essential pharmacological properties: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Rare positive laboratory tests for the presence of influenza virus A/H1N1--2009 in May, June, July, 2011, in the districts of Kosice I-IV and surroundings of Kosice in the Slovak Republic.

Influenza illnesses and positive laboratory tests for the presence of influenza virus in recent years in the districts of Kosice I-IV and surroundings have only occurred during the winter season. In May to July 2010 only one positive laboratory test for the presence of influenza virus A/H1N1-2009 was reported. In 2011, during the same period, a total of 29 positive laboratory tests recorded the presence of influenza virus A/ H1N1-2009 in individuals with typical clinical symptoms of influenza.