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Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, September 2008, p. 1391-1397, Vol. 15, No. 9
1071-412X/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.00110-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effects of Ageing and Gender on Naturally Acquired Antibodies to Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharides and Virulence-Associated Proteins{triangledown}

Birgit Simell,1 Mika Lahdenkari,1 Antti Reunanen,2 Helena Käyhty,1 and Merja Väkeväinen1*

Department of Vaccines, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland,1 Department of Health and Functional Capacity, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland2

Received 18 March 2008/ Returned for modification 18 April 2008/ Accepted 26 June 2008

Elderly individuals are susceptible to pneumococcal infections. Although factors contributing to the increased susceptibility of the elderly to bacterial infections may be several, compromised immune function, a consequence of normal human ageing, is widely accepted to play a role. We evaluated the effect of ageing on the concentrations of naturally acquired antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (PPS) and protein antigens. The concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies to the PPS of serotypes 3, 4, 6B, 9V, 14, and 23F and IgG antibodies to the pneumococcal virulence-associated proteins CbpA, LytC, PhtD and its C-terminal fragment (PhtD C), NanA, PspA fam1, and PspA fam2 were measured by enzyme immunoassay in the sera of younger (30 to 64 years of age) and elderly (65 to 97 years of age) adults. The concentrations of anti-PPS IgG against serotypes 3 and 6B, of anti-PPS IgM against serotypes 3, 4, 6B, 9V, and 23F, and of anti-protein IgG against all tested antigens were significantly lower in the elderly than in younger adults. A stronger decline in anti-PPS antibody concentrations was seen with age in women compared to men, while anti-protein antibody concentrations were mainly similar between the genders. Age, gender, and the nature of the antigen have substantial and varying effects on the antibody concentrations in the sera of adults.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: National Public Health Institute, Department of Vaccines, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland. Phone: 358-9-4744 8902. Fax: 358-9-4744 8599. E-mail: merja.vakevainen{at}ktl.fi

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 2 July 2008.

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, September 2008, p. 1391-1397, Vol. 15, No. 9
1071-412X/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.00110-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Melin, M., Jarva, H., Siira, L., Meri, S., Kayhty, H., Vakevainen, M. (2009). Streptococcus pneumoniae Capsular Serotype 19F Is More Resistant to C3 Deposition and Less Sensitive to Opsonophagocytosis than Serotype 6B. Infect. Immun. 77: 676-684 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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