title: Detection of antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
abstract: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of immunoglobulin G, M, and A antibodies against each of the 14 polysaccharide antigens contained in a contemporary pneumococcal vaccine is described. A mean total antibody fold increase above 2 from prevaccination to 4 weeks postvaccination serum samples was found for all antigens in 12 healthy adults and 6 children. Fifty-five percent of all single fold increases determined were above 2 in the adults; the value was 64% in children. Type-specific polysaccharide antibody of the immunoglobulin G class was predominant in 4 weeks postvaccination serum samples. Further studies with assays such as the one described may lead to a better understanding of the immune response to pneumococcal polysaccharides in both normal subjects and patients at increased risk of pneumococcal infection.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial