Further, in an animal magic size mucosal antibodies prevented the acquisition of pneumococcus [23]

Further, in an animal magic size mucosal antibodies prevented the acquisition of pneumococcus [23]. At the moment right now there is only one licensed pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PncCRM. 23F were measured in both organizations at the age of 7 and 13 weeks. Results Salivary anti-Pnc IgG and IgA were recognized more often in the PncOMPC than in the control group. However, the difference between organizations was significant only for 19F and 23F IgA concentrations at the age of 7 weeks. At the age of 13 months, antibody concentrations did not differ between PncOMPC and control organizations. The increases in IgA concentrations between 7 and 13 weeks of age were primarily of subclass IgA1. Further, there is a TZ9 obvious tendency that PncPS booster induces higher salivary anti-Pnc PS antibody concentrations than the PncOMPC. Summary We found that PncOMPC can induce a mucosal IgA response. However, the actual effect of mucosal antibodies in safety against pneumococcal infections is not obvious. Background Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc) regularly colonises mucosal epithelium at nasopharynx without causing any symptoms [1]. The carriage rate varies depending on the age, becoming highest in children under two years of age [2]. Further, the prevalence of pneumococcal carriage is definitely higher in developing than developed countries [3]. Even though pneumococcal carriage is definitely often harmless, it may lead to a local disease, e.g. to acute otitis media (AOM), sinusitis or to an invasive disease like pneumonia, meningitis or sepsis [3]. The main mechanism of defence against pneumococcus are anticapsular antibodies, which help in the phagocytosis or which can counteract acquisition of pneumococcus probably by preventing adhesion to the mucosal surface [4]. In serum the predominant immunoglobulin class is usually IgG. The salivary IgG is mainly derived from serum by leakage across capillaries and entering saliva through gingival crevices. However, some local production of IgG may take place [5,6]. At mucosal membranes IgA is the main immunoglobulin class and it is found most often in the secretory form (sIgA). The role of serum IgG in the defence against pneumococcus is usually obvious; IgG can activate match efficiently and further lead to phagocytosis of bacteria. The function of mucosal antibodies in humans is less obvious. However, there are several pieces of evidence, which suggest that they do have a role in the defence. The presence of pneumococcus in nasopharynx induces salivary antibodies against pneumococcal proteins and polysaccharides TZ9 already in infants [7,8], and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines evoke mucosal immune response [5,9-15]. In addition to invasive disease and pneumonia, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines prevent also local infections like AOM and carriage [16-22]. Further, in an animal model mucosal antibodies prevented the acquisition of pneumococcus [23]. At the moment there is only one licensed pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PncCRM. The vaccine contains seven pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (PS) conjugated to a non-toxic variant form of diphtheria toxin (CRM197). The Kaiser Permanente Efficacy Trial in TZ9 the USA showed that PncCRM is usually highly protective, 97.4% (95% CI 88.7 to 99.9%), against invasive pneumococcal disease caused by vaccine serotypes [16]. Among American Indian children, which are a high risk populace for pneumococcal contamination, the intention-to-treat total main efficacy of PncCRM against invasive disease was 82.6% (95% CI 21.4 to 96.1%) [24]. The efficacy TZ9 of a 9-valent PncCRM in HIV-infected and uninfected children has been analyzed in Soweto, South-Africa [25]. The vaccine prevented there 83% (95% CI 39C97%) of invasive pneumococcal infections due to vaccine serotypes in HIV-uninfected children. The respective number was 65% (95% Rabbit Polyclonal to CACNG7 CI 24C86%) in HIV-infected children. In the Finnish Otitis Media (FinOM) Vaccine Trial, two pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, PncCRM and PncOMPC, were investigated in parallel regarding the efficacy against AOM using hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) as a control for both arms. The efficacy of.