Meningococcal antibody titres in infants of women immunised with meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine during pregnancy.
Seventy five Gambian women were immunised with a single dose of a group A+group C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine during the last trimester of pregnancy. IgG antibody titres were measured in mothers and in their infants by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All women had a good response to vaccination and maternal antibodies were high at the time of delivery (23.2 micrograms/ml for group A antibodies and 14.3 micrograms/ml for group C antibodies). However, only a proportion of this antibody crossed the placenta; cord blood:maternal antibody ratios were 30% for group A antibody and 44% for group C antibody, respectively. Considerable variability in cord blood:maternal blood ratios was seen between individuals. This could not be related to age, parity, or ethnic group. Mean group A and group C cord blood:maternal blood ratios were lower in women with serological evidence of syphilis than in seronegative women, and diminished transfer of group A antibody was noted in women with active malarial infection of the placenta. Antibody titres declined rapidly in infants and by the age of 3-4 months these had reached control values. Maternal immunisation may give infants some protection against group A and group C meningococcal disease but only during the first few months of life.
O'Dempsey
T J
TJ
Medical Research Council Laboratories, Banjul, Gambia.
McArdle
T
T
Ceesay
S J
SJ
Secka
O
O
Demba
E
E
Banya
W A
WA
Francis
N
N
Greenwood
B M
BM
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D005714:Gambia; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines