Prevention of meningococcal serogroup B infections in children: a protein-based vaccine induces immunologic memory

J Infect Dis. 2001 Jul 1;184(1):98-102. doi: 10.1086/320993. Epub 2001 May 31.

Abstract

Immunologic memory against meningococci was studied in 177 children (100 children were 10-11 years old and 77 were 5-6 years old) 2.5 years after vaccination with hexavalent meningococcal outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccine or hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine. Children were revaccinated with monovalent P1.7(h),4 meningococcal OMV vaccine. Serum bactericidal antibodies (SBAs) were measured before revaccination and after 4-6 weeks. A minimum 4-fold increase in SBAs against serosubtype P1.7(h),4 was detected in 48.5% of the children after hexavalent meningococcal vaccine and in 8.9% after HepB vaccine. Of the initial responders given hexavalent meningococcal vaccine, 78% had > or =4-fold increase in SBAs against strain P1.4. Thus, immunologic memory is present in toddlers and school-aged children previously given 3 hexavalent meningococcal vaccinations. Booster vaccination with monovalent P1.7(h),4 meningococcal OMV vaccine induces a significant increase in SBAs against serosubtype P1.7(h),4 and cross-reactivity against other serosubtypes in the hexavalent vaccine.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Hepatitis B Vaccines / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Secondary
  • Immunologic Memory / drug effects
  • Immunologic Memory / immunology*
  • Male
  • Meningitis, Meningococcal / prevention & control*
  • Meningococcal Vaccines / immunology*
  • Neisseria meningitidis

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Hepatitis B Vaccines
  • Meningococcal Vaccines