Development of immunologic memory against tetanus toxoid and pertactin antigens from the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine in atopic versus nonatopic children

Background: Recent findings suggest that a hallmark of the atopic phenotype is reduced capacity to respond to vaccine antigens, as well as to environmental allergens, during infancy. This deficiency, which is most marked for the cytokine IFN-gamma, appears transient but can result in a long-lasting imbalance within T helper cell (T-H) memory responses to allergens. Indirect evidence suggests that parallel effects may occur within immunologic memory responses against vaccine antigens in atopic children