Abstract
Extract: A comparative study of two smallpox vaccines, standard calf lymph vaccine, and an attenuated vaccine, CVI-78, was performed in 95 children. Primary vaccination with CVI-78 resulted in a more attenuated response than primary vaccination with standard vaccine. Sixty-one percent of those vaccinated with CVI-78 and 96% of those vaccinated with standard vaccine developed a major dermal reaction; 16% of those vaccinated with CVI-78 and 89% of those vaccinated with standard vaccine developed postvaccination neutralizing antibodies. Twenty-seven percent of the children vaccinated with CVI-78 demonstrated neither a dermal nor serologic postvaccination response, whereas only 2% of those vaccinated with standard vaccination demonstrated no postvaccination response.
Speculation: Smallpox vaccine strain CVI-78 produces a modified local and serologic reaction in children. This vaccine may be overattenuated and thus is not useful as a replacement for standard vaccine. The vaccine in limited circumstances may be useful as a protective vaccine for those who might be expected to develop complications after challenge with standard vaccine. This speculation requires further study.
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Wesley, R., Speers, W., Neff, J. et al. Evaluation of Two Kinds of Smallpox Vaccine: CVI-78 and Calf Lymph Vaccine: I. Clinical and Serologic Response to Primary Vaccination. Pediatr Res 9, 624–628 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197508000-00002
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197508000-00002