Antibody persistence and immunological memory at age 4 years after meningococcal group C conjugate vaccination in children in the United kingdom

J Infect Dis. 2002 Nov 1;186(9):1353-7. doi: 10.1086/344324. Epub 2002 Oct 8.

Abstract

Antibody persistence and immunological priming for 2 formulations of a meningococcal group C (menC) conjugate (MCC) vaccine (containing 2 or 10 microg of menC polysaccharide) administered at 2, 3, and 4 months of age was investigated by boosting vaccine recipients at age 13-16 months or 4 years with 10 microg of unconjugated menC polysaccharide. At age 4 years, geometric mean titers (GMTs) and concentrations of menC-specific immunoglobulin G and serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) had decreased to prevaccination levels. Geometric mean avidity indices increased after the primary vaccination until age 13-16 months and then remained constant until age 4 years. One month after boosting at age 4 years, menC immunoglobulin G and SBA levels increased significantly. The postbooster SBA GMT for the 2-microg vaccination (2181.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 975.9-4875.1) was 2-fold higher than that for the 10-microg vaccination (931.6; 95% CI, 338.0-2568.1). This is the first demonstration of immunological memory at 4 years of age in children receiving MCC vaccine on the United Kingdom's 2/3/4-month immunization schedule.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Antibody Formation
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunologic Memory*
  • Meningococcal Infections / immunology*
  • Meningococcal Infections / prevention & control
  • Neisseria meningitidis / immunology*
  • Time Factors
  • United Kingdom
  • Vaccines, Conjugate / administration & dosage*
  • Vaccines, Conjugate / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Vaccines, Conjugate