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A quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine conjugated to CRM197 (MenACWY-CRM197) is immunogenic in young infants. We assessed the memory B-cell and antibody responses after a primary and booster course of MenACWY-CRM197 in children. At 5 months of age, following primary immunisation, serogroup-specific memory B-cells were detectable in fewer than 25% of children, although protective antibody titres (hSBA ≥ 4) were detectable in 69% of children against serogroup A and more than 95% against the other serogroups. At 12 months, before booster immunisation the percentages with hSBA ≥ 4 were 5% for serogroup A, and between 44 and 70% for the other serogroups. One month after booster immunisation with MenACWY-CRM197 over 50% of children had detectable memory B-cells, and 91% had hSBA ≥ 4 against serogroup A and more than 99% against the other serogroups. These data show that few antigen-specific anticapsular memory B-cells can be detected after two-doses priming with MenACWY-CRM197. For MenC and CRM197, the antigens with the highest number of B-cells at 5 months, there was a definite (p ≤0 .02) but weak correlation with antibody persistence at 12 months. Although previous studies suggest that measuring memory B-cell responses after priming immunisations in infancy can be used to predict antibody persistence and memory responses, this may not be suitable for all antigens in young children.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.03.036

Type

Journal article

Journal

Vaccine

Publication Date

07/05/2013

Volume

31

Pages

2441 - 2448

Keywords

Antibodies, Bacterial, B-Lymphocytes, Bacterial Proteins, Child, Female, Humans, Immunization, Secondary, Immunologic Memory, Infant, Meningococcal Vaccines, Vaccination, Vaccines, Conjugate