[Diphteric and tetanic antitoxins seric values in the first year of life, before and after immunization an horizontal survey in Mozambic (author’s transl)]

Successive evaluations of diphtheritic (AD) and tetanic antitoxin have been made from birth to twelve months in infants receiving at 3, 4 and 5 months an immunization with antidiphtheritic, antitetanic and absorbed antimeasles vaccine. The decrease of AD of maternal origin is not, contrary to common opinion, regularly exponential. Factors influencing the elimination of AD from maternal origin are discussed. An important decrease is often observed after the first immunizing infection. AD level evolution is independent from that to IgG but there is a correspondence at birth in mother and infant between the highest values of AD and the lowest values of total proteides. The commonly observed existence of AD in mother blood indicates the persistence in Maputo of a strong diphteric endemy, and this justifies the association of the antidiphtheritic vaccination to the antitetanic one. After immunization, high levels of antibodies are always reached for tetanic antitoxin and a little less, regularly, for AD. High levels of AD are more frequent in infants having demonstrated no infectious symptoms. Towards the end of the first year, antibodies levels frequently decrease. From these findings possible ways are discussed for immunizing infants in Africa with antitoxins.