Serum antibody responses to pneumococcal colonisation in the first two years of life: results from a SE Asian longitudinal cohort study.

Assessment of antibody responses to pneumococcal colonisation in early childhood may aid our understanding of protection and inform vaccine antigen selection. Serum samples were collected from mother-infant pairs during a longitudinal pneumococcal colonisation study in Burmese refugees. Maternal and cord sera were collected at birth and infants were bled monthly (1-24 months of age). Nasopharyngeal swabs were taken monthly to detect colonisation. Serum IgG titres to 27 pneumococcal protein antigens were measured in 2,624 sera and IgG to dominant serotypes (6B,14,19F,19A,23F) were quantified in 864 infant sera. Antibodies to all protein antigens were detectable in maternal sera. Titres to four proteins (LytB,PcpA,PhtD,PhtE) were significantly higher in mothers colonised by pneumococci at delivery. Maternally-derived antibodies to PiuA and Spr0096 were associated with delayed pneumococcal acquisition in infants in univariate, but not multivariate models. Controlling for infant age and previous homologous serotype exposure, nasopharyngeal acquisition of serotypes 19A, 23F, 14, or 19F were associated significantly with a ≥2-fold antibody response to the homologous capsule (OR 12.84, 7.52, 6.52, 5.33; p<0.05). Acquisition of pneumococcal serotypes in the nasopharynx of infants was not significantly associated with a ≥2-fold rise in antibodies to any of the protein antigens studied. In conclusion, nasopharyngeal colonisation in young children resulted in demonstrable serum IgG responses to pneumococcal capsules and surface/virulence proteins. However, the relationship between serum IgG and the prevention of, or response to, pneumococcal nasopharyngeal colonisation remains complex. Mechanisms other than serum IgG are likely to have a role but are currently poorly understood. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved