title: Seroprevalence of meningococcal serogroup C bactericidal antibody in England and Wales in the pre-vaccination era.
abstract: Sera from an age-stratified sample of 1689 individuals, submitted to the PHLS Seroepidemiology Unit between 1996 and 1999 were tested for serum bactericidal antibodies to serogroup C meningococci. Titres decreased during infancy, presumably as maternal antibody waned, and increased in older teenagers, the peak age of meningococcal carriage. The prevalence of antibody titres greater than or equal to 8 was highest in adults, with an average of 25% of adults 25 years old or above with titres above this putative protective level. In the absence of vaccination, antibody may be generated from periods of carriage of serogroup C meningococci, from other meningococcal strains sharing non-capsular antigens, and other cross-reactive organisms. The inverse relationship between disease incidence and the prevalence of 'protective' antibody titres as described by Goldschneider et al. appears more consistent with a titre of > or =8 rather than > or =128, although the proportions 'protected' are much lower here than in Goldschneider's study. This study provides baseline antibody levels which will facilitate the evaluation of the meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccination programme.
authors.affiliation: Immunisation Division, PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK. ctrotter@phls.org.uk
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trotter
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borrow
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012703:Serotyping; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C037676:meningococcal group C polysaccharide