Abstract
We assessed antibodies to the capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae type b (HibPS) in the Dutch population a few years after a mass vaccination against H. influenzae (Hib) was begun. We observed sharp declines in the geometric mean titer (GMT) and the prevalence of HibPS antibodies at levels of < or =0.15 microg/mL in children who had received 4 doses of vaccine: from 8.65 microg/mL (prevalence, 99.4%) after 0-2 months to 0.8 microg/mL (prevalence, 83.3%) after 27-29 months. In adult groups, both the prevalence of HibPS antibodies and the GMT declined significantly with increasing age but remained high (prevalence, > or =83.7%; GMT, 0.73 > or = microg/mL). We conclude that the overall immunity in the Dutch population seems satisfactory. We draw our conclusions from the current serosurveillance study and from the sharp decline in invasive Hib disease noted after the introduction of vaccination. The key questions for the future are (1) whether Hib and cross-reacting organisms will circulate sufficiently to provide natural reexposure, and (2) how long memory immunity will persist after vaccination without reexposure.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.