Response to pneumococcal conjugate and polysaccharide vaccines in otitis-prone and otitis-free children. • 686

72 children 18 mo to 4 yrs of age were enrolled in year 1 of a 2-yr study of response to pneumo- coccal conjugate and polysaccharide vaccines. 34 otitis-free children (mean episodes/ past yr=.3) from a private pediatric office, and 38 otitis-prone children (5.2 episodes/past yr) from children scheduled to have tympanostomy tubes were randomized to receive pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Pnu-immune, Lederle) or an investigational heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Lederle-Praxis). Pre- and post- immunization sera were obtained for measurement of antibody to pneumococcal serotypes 6, 14, 19 and 23. Antibody levels (mcg/ml) were measured by ELISA.Table

Table 1

Children in both groups responded well to conjugate vaccine. Otitis-prone children responded better to conjugate than to polysaccharide vaccine. Funded by a grant from Lederle-Praxis.