title: Mucosal immune responses to meningococcal conjugate polysaccharide vaccines in infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serogroup C meningococcal conjugate polysaccharide vaccines have been reported to induce significant serum IgG antibodies and immunologic memory in infants. Because meningococcus is a mucosal pathogen colonizing the nasopharynx, local mucosal immune responses may play an important role in host defense against infection and carriage. We have investigated the mucosal IgA and IgG antibody responses to two meningococcal C conjugate vaccines in the saliva of healthy infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specific salivary IgA and IgG antibodies to two meningococcal C polysaccharide conjugate vaccines (Menjugate from Chiron Corp., n = 46; and Meningitec from Wyeth Lederle, n = 54) were investigated by immunoassay in infants after parenteral vaccinations at the ages of 2, 3 and 4 months. Unstimulated saliva samples were collected immediately before the first immunization and 1 month after the third immunizations. Forty healthy infants receiving the same routine vaccines but no meningococcal C vaccine were recruited as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant increases in meningococcal C polysaccharide-specific IgG antibody concentrations postvaccination compared with prevaccination concentrations in both vaccinated groups (both P < 0.001), but no change in the control group. There were no significant increases in specific IgA postvaccination geometric mean concentrations in either the vaccine or the control groups. The number of IgA positives postvaccination increased slightly in the Wyeth vaccine group vs. controls (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant salivary IgG antibodies to meningococcal C polysaccharide were observed after parenteral immunization with two meningococcal C conjugate vaccines, whereas there was no significant increase in specific IgA antibody levels for these two vaccines.
authors: Institute of Child Health, Education Centre, University of Bristol, United Kingdom. Q.Zhang@bristol.ac.uk
authors: Qibo
authors: Q
authors: Zhang
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Pettitt
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Burkinshaw
authors: Gillian
authors: G
authors: Race
authors: Lynne
authors: L
authors: Shaw
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Finn
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; C037676:meningococcal group C polysaccharide; C410218:serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccine