Studies of adrenergic mechanisms inrelation to histamine sensitivity in children immunized with Bordetella pertussis vaccine

Histamine sensitivity, epinephrine-induced changes in blood sugar and isoproterenol-inducedalteration in heart rate were studied in normal healthy children before and 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 30 days after administration of vaccine containing diphtheria toxoid, pertussis vaccine, and tetanus toxoid (D.P.T.). Within 24 hours after the D.P.T. vaccine, the histamine sensitivity was remarkably increased and, concurrently, epinephrine-induced hyperglycemia was markedly diminished, as also was the isoproterenol-induced change in heart rate. These changes were most marked for 5 to 7 days, and then gradually near normal values were obtained in about 30 days' time. The above study was also carried out in children immunized with diphtheria and tetanus vaccines only. Since no alteration in histamine sensitivity or adrenergic function was obtained in these cases, the effects of D.P.T. vaccine could safely be attributed to the pertussis component.