Avidity of pertussis toxin antibodies following vaccination with genetically versus chemically detoxified pertussis toxin-containing vaccines during pregnancy

Both the quantity and quality of circulating anti-pertussis toxin antibodies are important for protection against severe pertussis. We compared the avidity of PT-IgG antibodies in pregnant women and their infants following vaccination during pregnancy with pertussis vaccines containing genetically-detoxified pertussis toxin (PTgen) or chemically-detoxified PT (PTchem). Methods: We analyzed serum samples collected earlier from pregnant women (at delivery) and their infants (at birth and 2 months of age) participating in a clinical trial where pregnant women had been vaccinated during pregnancy with recombinant acellular pertussis vaccine containing 1 µg PTgen (standalone, ap1gen, [n=37], or combined to tetanus and diphtheria, Tdap1gen [n=34]), 2 µg PTgen (Tdap2gen, n=35), or 5 µg PTgen (TdaP5gen, n=34), or acellular pertussis vaccine containing 8 µg PTchem (Tdap8chem, n=35). Avidity was assessed by adding increasing concentrations (0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 M) of NH4SCN as a bond-breaking agent and measuring PT-IgG levels by ELISA. Findings: Compared with Tdap8chem, TdaP5gen vaccination was associated with significantly higher total absolute avidity (p<0.001) and medium-high to very-high avidity PT-IgG levels (p≤0.02) in mothers at delivery, infants at birth and infants at 2 months of age. Avidity was comparable to Tdap8chem after vaccination with the low-dose PTgen formulations (ap1gen, Tdap1gen or Tdap2gen). There were no differences for vaccination during the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Interpretation: Compared with chemically detoxified vaccines, vaccination during pregnancy with recombinant genetically detoxified acellular pertussis vaccine at lower PT concentration provides infants with at least similar or higher quality PT-IgG antibodies. Consequently, recombinant pertussis vaccines may offer comparable or better protection against pertussis. Keywords: avidity; genetically inactivated; maternal immunization; pertussis; pertussis toxin; recombinant vaccine; vaccination during pregnancy. Read a full publication at National Library of Medicine chemically-detoxified PT, genetically detoxified pertussis toxin, maternal immunization, Pertussis, PT, PTchem, PTgen Search News categories BioNet News (29) Events (8) Biotech News (60) Thailand (2) Covid-19 (2) News tags Acellular Pertussis Vaccine (5) Adolescent (3) AI (3) aP (5) Artificial Intelligence (5) biotechnology (12) booster vaccine (3) Bordetella pertussis (9) cancer (8) Cancer vaccine (5) covid-19 (22) COVID-19 vaccine (3) Diphtheria (7) DNA (3) Flu (3) genetically detoxified pertussis toxin (6) Immune Response (8) immune system (12) Immunization (5) immunoginicity (5) infectious disease (4) infectious diseases (4) maternal immunization (3) mRNA (14) mRNA Technology (7) pandemic (8) Pertussis (9) Pertussis Toxin (4) pertussis vaccine (5) PT (5) PTgen (5) respiratory diseases (4) RNA (4) SARS-CoV-2 (8) Tdap (8) tetanus (6) Tuberculosis (3) vaccination (10) vaccine (35) Vaccine Development (10) vaccines (4) Vaccine Storage (3) virus (3) Whooping Cough (8) Whoopingcough (4) Recent News Hybrid Nanocarriers Could Enable Targeted Vaccine Delivery in the Lungs January 22, 2026 The golden age of vaccine development January 19, 2026 The European Commission Grants Marketing Authorisation for a First-of-its-Kind Pertussis-Only Vaccine for Vaccination of Teenagers, Adults and Pregnant Women in the European Union January 15, 2026 New Pertussis Vaccine Set for Implementation December 20, 2025 BioNet Receives Positive CHMP Opinion from EMA for VacPertagen, a Recombinant Vaccine Against Pertussis November 21, 2025 Subscribe Terms of use Privacy 2026© BioNet-Asia. All rights reserved. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok

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