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. 2013;8(2):e55486.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055486. Epub 2013 Feb 14.

Seroprevalence of bactericidal, specific IgG antibodies and incidence of meningitis due to group A Neisseria meningitidis by age in Burkina Faso 2008

Caroline L Trotter  1 , Seydou Yaro, Berthe-Marie Njanpop-Lafourcade, Aly Drabo, Sita S Kroman, Regina S Idohou, Oumarou Sanou, Leah Bowen, Helen Findlow, Serge Diagbouga, Bradford D Gessner, Ray Borrow, Judith E Mueller
Affiliations

Seroprevalence of bactericidal, specific IgG antibodies and incidence of meningitis due to group A Neisseria meningitidis by age in Burkina Faso 2008

Caroline L Trotter et al. PLoS One. 2013.

Abstract

Background: We investigated serological correlates of protection against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A (NmA) in Burkina Faso before the introduction of NmA conjugate vaccine.

Methodology/principal findings: We collected blood from a representative sample (N = 1022) of Bobo-Dioulasso residents. Sera were evaluated for serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) activity against NmA strains of immunotype L11 (F8238) and L10 (3125) and NmA-specific IgG. Seroprevalence was compared to the age-specific NmA meningitis incidence in Bobo-Dioulasso during March 2007-February 2008. Meningococcal carriage was evaluated in a subset (N = 538). Geometric mean titres (GMT)/concentrations (GMC) of SBA and NmA-specific IgG increased with age, peaking around age 20 years. Overall, 70% of our sample had NmA-specific IgG ≥2 ug/mL. Meningitis incidence was highest in those aged <6 months and 5-19 years. No NmA carriers were found. Compared to the reference strain SBA, GMTs were higher against a locally isolated strain and around 40-fold lower against Dutch strain 3125.

Conclusions/significance: This study provides estimates of natural immunity to NmA, according to a variety of antibody measures, which will be helpful in ascertaining antibody persistence after MenAfriVac™ introduction. Age-specific seroprevalence of reference strain SBA titres most likely reflects exposure to meningococci and consecutive reactive immunity. We could not define any serological correlate of protection.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: BL, SSK, OS, RSI, and BDG work, and JEM until recently worked, for the Agence de Médecine Préventive, which receives unrestricted support from Sanofi Pasteur as well as grant specific support from Sanofi Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and Merck. RB and HF have performed contract research on behalf of the Health Protection Agency, funded by Pfizer, Novartis Vaccines, Baxter Bioscience, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi Pasteur, Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc, and Merck. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Distribution of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) titres against three meningococcal serogroup A assay strains.
Residents of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso (N = 941) aged 1 month to 49 years, February–March 2008.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Age-specific serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) geometric mean titers (GMT) against three meningococcal serogroup A assay strains in February–March 2008 versus age-specific meningococcal serogroup A meningitis annual incidence during March 2007 through February 2008.
General population of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Age-specific serogroup-A specific IgG geometric mean concentrations (GMC) in February–March 2008 versus age-specific meningococcal serogroup A meningitis annual incidence during March 2007 through February 2008.
General population of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Age-specific prevalence of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) titers against meningococcal serogroup A equal to or above different cut-offs against the reference strain versus age-specific meningococcal serogroup A meningitis annual incidence during March 2007 through February 2008.
General population of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Age-specific prevalence of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) titers ≥128 against three meningococcal serogroup A assay strains in February–March 2008 and serogroup-A specific IgG ≥2
ug/mL versus age-specific meningococcal serogroup A meningitis annual incidence during March 2007 through February 2008. General population of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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