Antigenic Response to Booster Dose of Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids: Seven to Thirteen Years after Primary Inoculation of Noninstitutionalized Children

cine, and scarlet fever toxin, according to defined dosage schedules.The children's reac¬ tions were studied and their specific immune response measured in terms of circulating anti¬ body.The results formed the basis for a series of reports by Yolk and associates {1~4).From 7 to 13 years later blood specimens were taken from 174 of these subjects, now 13 to 20 years old, and each was then given an intra¬ muscular "boosterv injection of combined diph¬ theria and tetanus toxoids, aluminum phosphate adsorbed.Antibody titrations for diphtheria and tetanus antitoxin were made at six intervals following the booster injection, as described below.The results of the antibody titrations before and after booster injection form the basis for this report.No known cases of diphtheria oc¬ curred in Saginaw County during the period covered by this study. MethodsA registered nurse from the Saginaw County Health Department interviewed each subject and his parents for recollection or records of intervening booster injections and verified most reports from physician, clinic, or hospital records.The nurse also performed all of the inoculations and followups for reactions, drew Vol.77, No. 3,