Abstract
Our goal was to provide a comprehensive overview of the antibody response to Staphylococcus aureus antigens in the general population as a basis for defining disease-specific profiles and diagnostic signatures. We tested the specific IgG and IgA responses to 79 staphylococcal antigens in 996 individuals from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania. Using a dilution-based multiplex suspension array, we extended the dynamic range of specific antibody detection to seven orders of magnitude, allowing the precise quantification of high and low abundant antibody specificities in the same sample. The observed IgG and IgA antibody responses were highly heterogeneous with differences between individuals as well as between bacterial antigens that spanned several orders of magnitude. Some antigens elicited significantly more IgG than IgA and vice versa. We confirmed a strong influence of colonization on the antibody response and quantified the influence of sex, smoking, age, body mass index, and serum glucose on anti-staphylococcal IgG and IgA. However, all host parameters tested explain only a small part of the extensive variability in individual response to the different antigens of S. aureus.
Highlights
The interactions between Staphylococcus aureus and humans span a broad range from unnoticed colonization to severe damage in various diseases including blood-stream infections [1] and recurrent episodes of skin and soft tissue infections [2]
Anti-staphylococcal antibody responses were detected in 996 individuals of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)-TREND-0 cohort
This study provides a comprehensive overview on the S. aureusspecific antibody repertoire in a large population-based study, SHIP-TREND-0
Summary
The interactions between Staphylococcus aureus and humans span a broad range from unnoticed colonization to severe damage in various diseases including blood-stream infections [1] and recurrent episodes of skin and soft tissue infections [2]. Besides disease-associated variation in carriage rates, multiple host factors have been described that influence the individual chance for a persistent colonization. Apart from genetic host factors [for overview see [8, 9]], additional factors like age, sex, nutritional status, and further lifestyle choices have an impact on the rate of contacts with S. aureus and carriage rates. In a large colonization prevalence study in the US, obesity was linked to increased colonization rates [11], and in the Rotterdam Study diabetes and elevated fasting serum glucose showed a correlation to higher colonization rates [14]. Active smoking was described to result in lower carriage rates [14], and a combined influence of vitamin D levels in serum and smoking was shown in the Tromsø Staph and Skin Study [15]
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