Studies in Human Subjects of Polyvalent Pneumococcal Vaccines

SummaryClinical studies of 12- and 14-valent pneumococcal capsular polysaccha-ride vaccines were carried out among 76 adults and 42 children. All but a small proportion of persons developed significant increases in homologous antibody against all capsular types in the vaccine. Clinical reactions consisted mostly of mild fever and self-limiting local reactions at the injection site, such as commonly seen following administration of killed vaccines. Antibody persisted remarkably well with only slight decline 20 months after the vaccine was given. The vaccine shows great promise for preventing disease and death caused by pneu-mococci and merits wide discretionary application.The authors are greatly indebted to L. Gorkum, M.D., E. McNicholas, M.D., and G. A. Starkweather, M.D., and to J. Campbell, R.N., K. W. Campbell, R.N., B.S., and J. Laughead, R.N., for professional medical and nursing assistance. V. Holmes, B.S., B. Last, G. Lowden, A.B., M.S., and J. Staub, B.S., provided important technical assistance.