title: Hepatitis B immunisation induces higher antibody and memory Th2 responses in new-borns than in adults.
abstract: New-borns raise limited antibody responses to most T cell-dependent antigens but little is known about neonatal T lymphocyte responses to vaccines. In this study, we compared the immune response induced by the hepatitis B vaccine in new-borns and nai;ve adults. Infants produced markedly higher serum anti-hepatitis B surface (HBs) antibody titres than adults. This was not associated with greater HBs Ag-specific Th2 cytokine responses but with lower primary IFN-gamma responses. At 1 year, the infant memory response to HBs Ag was characterised by higher Th2 responses than those of adults. We conclude that neonatal antibody and T cell responses to hepatitis B vaccine differ from those induced in adults.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Laboratories, P.O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia.
authors.forename: Martin O C
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vekemans
authors.forename: Susanna E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Schlegel-Haueter
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fielding
authors.forename: Hilton
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Whittle
authors.forename: Paul Henri
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: Keith P W J
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: McAdam
authors.forename: Claire Anne
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Siegrist
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchant
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007371:Interferon-gamma