title: Persistence of serum bactericidal antibody one year after a booster dose of either a glycoconjugate or a plain polysaccharide vaccine against serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis given to adolescents previously immunized with a glycoconjugate vaccine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bactericidal antibody induced by immunization of infants with serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis (MenC) vaccines wanes rapidly during childhood. Adolescents are at particular risk from meningococcal disease, therefore they might benefit from a booster dose of vaccine. The duration of serologic response to such a booster in adolescents is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a previous study, English schoolchildren, aged 9 to 12 years, who had received a monovalent MenC glycoconjugate vaccine in 1999-2000, were given either a plain polysaccharide vaccine (MenC-PS group, n = 150) or a glycoconjugate vaccine (MenC-CRM group, n = 95) at 13 to 15 years of age. In this follow-up study, serum bactericidal antibody titers and specific immunoglobulin G concentrations were assessed 1 year later. Results were compared with unboosted controls of similar age (control group, n = 298).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compliance with study protocol was achieved for 146 of the MenC-PS group, 92 of the MenC-CRM group, and 293 of the control group. Compared with the control group, both the MenC-PS and MenC-CRM groups had a significantly higher (P < 0.0001) geometric mean serum bactericidal antibody titers 1 year after the booster dose (geometric mean titers for MenC-PS group 3388 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 2460-4665]; MenC-CRM group 4417 [95% CI: 2951-6609]; control group 316 [95% CI: 252-396]). Specific immunoglobulin G concentration also rose and remained elevated 1 year after the booster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A booster dose of MenC vaccine given to adolescents produced a marked rise in bactericidal antibody, which remained elevated 1 year later. Introduction of an adolescent booster of MenC vaccine might provide enhanced long-term population control of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. philip.dewhalley@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Philip C S
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: de Whalley
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Snape
authors.forename: Dominic F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Carly
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banner
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diggle
authors.forename: Tessa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Ly-Mee
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borkowski
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pollard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006001:Glycoconjugates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D006113:United Kingdom; D014611:Vaccination; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D006001:Glycoconjugates; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011134:Polysaccharides; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate