Aim: To investigate the possible relationship between serumlevels and avidities of antibodies against tetanus toxoid (TT)-and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in children that were vaccinated after treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Methods: The study groups were 31 paediatric patients with ALL and 18 healthy controls. All subjects were vaccinated with TT and a protein conjugated Hib vaccine.Antibody levels were analysed at three time points: At diagnosis of ALL, after cessation of treatment before vaccination and three weeks after vaccination. Avidity was measured twice,with a thiocyanate elution assay, at diagnosis of ALL and three weeks after vaccination. Results: There was a correlation between level and avidity of tetanus antibodies after vaccination(r s =0.59)Conclusion: The vaccination strategy after childhood ALL must be different for low-risk and high-risk ALL groups, since the high-risk group fail to elicit a recall response to tetanus.
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