Gelatin-containing diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine causes sensitization to gelatin in the recipients

Gelatin-specific T cell response was performed to determine whether a series of vaccinations with gelatin-containing DTP is a primary sensitization process in gelatin allergy. Thirty-seven recipients with gelatin-containing DTP who developed adverse reactions after vaccination and eight recipients of DTP without gelatin who also developed adverse reactions were studied. In addition, 10 subjects receiving gelatin-containing vaccine and 10 subjects inoculated with non-gelatin vaccine who did not show any adverse reactions were also investigated. All subjects inoculated with gelatin-containing DTP vaccine showed positive T cell responses against gelatin, however, occurrence of adverse reactions did not correlate with T cell responses, We conclude that DTP vaccine containing gelatin induces sensitization to gelatin in the recipients, but the mechanism of local reactions remains unknown. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.