Pneumococcal infections are an important cause of morbidity/mortality in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines linked to protein carriers are immunogenic in healthy infants < 2 yrs of age, but have not been evaluated in children with SCD. Infants with SCD were immunized with a 7-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine (CRM; cross-reacting diphtheria mutant) at 2, 4, and 6 mos. Type specific antibodies were measured by ELISA after pre-absorption with C-polysaccharide. No side effects have been observed. This vaccine appears to be safe and immunogenic, and should provide protection against pneumococcal infections in infants with SCD. (Funded in part by Lederle-Praxis Biologicals.) Table

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