Abstract
BackgroundVibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, is a major cause of diarrhea worldwide. Children under the age of 5 have the highest disease burden of cholera. Vibriocidal antibody responses following natural infection and oral cholera vaccination (OCV) are associated with protective immunity, but whether this holds uniformly true in young children is not known.MethodsHousehold contacts of cholera patients are at high risk of V cholerae infection. We measured the association between baseline vibriocidal titer and the subsequent risk of infection in 50 household contacts <5 years old, 228 contacts 5–15 years old, and 548 contacts 16–70 years old in Bangladesh to determine whether vibriocidal antibody responses predict protection from V cholerae infection equally in all age groups.ResultsWe found that the vibriocidal titer predicted protection similarly in young children and other age strata. There was no interaction between age and vibriocidal titer. Mean baseline serum vibriocidal titers were higher in individuals in all age groups who remained uninfected compared with those who developed V cholerae infection during the follow-up period.ConclusionsAfter OCV, children have comparable vibriocidal responses to adults but a shorter duration and magnitude of protection compared with adults. In persons exposed to natural infection, we found that the vibriocidal titer predicts protection uniformly in all age groups. The vibriocidal titer may not be the optimal marker to demonstrate protection after OCV, and improved markers for estimating OCV efficacy in children are needed.
Highlights
MethodsHousehold contacts of cholera patients are at high risk of V cholerae infection. We measured the association between baseline vibriocidal titer and the subsequent risk of infection in 50 household contacts
Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, is a major cause of diarrhea worldwide
In persons exposed to natural infection, we found that the vibriocidal titer predicts protection uniformly in all age groups
Summary
Household contacts of cholera patients are at high risk of V cholerae infection. We measured the association between baseline vibriocidal titer and the subsequent risk of infection in 50 household contacts
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: 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.
