COMMITTEE ON CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Immunization with formaldehyde-inactivated vaccine is recommended for all children and young adults. The course recommended earlier was two 1-ml intramuscular injections (1 month apart) followed by a third 1-ml injection (after an interval of approximately 7 months). This is probably adequate for older children and adults. Preliminary evidence indicates that a considerable proportion of infants have a less than optimal or relatively short-lived antibody response when immunized in this fashion. Vaccination of infants should be started at about 1½ to 2 months of age. The Committee recommends that children under 5 years of age be given a series of three 1-mi injections (1 month apart) followed by a fourth injection (up to 8 months later) and then a fifth injection (at about 4 yearsof age). In the present state of knowledge, additional injections seem advisable as indicated in Table I. A recall injection should be given before traveling abroad or before entering an epidemic area. Preparations containing inactivated poliovirus vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis bacilli are now available. Such quadruple preparations should be given according to the manufacturer's directions, in general adhering to the schedule presently used for DPT (see Table I). For reasons of safety and to avoid possible loss of antigenic potency, it is considered advisable for physicians not to improvise mixtures of combined diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus antigens and poliomyelitis vaccine. See table in the PDF file There are few contraindications to poliomyelitis vaccination. It may be performed safely at any time of the year, even when poliomyelitis is prevalent.