Antigenic variants in Bordetella pertussis strains isolated from vaccinated and unvaccinated children

Bordetella pertussis shows polymorphism in two proteins, pertactin (Prn) and the pertussis toxin (PT) S1 subunit, which are important for immunity. A previous study has shown antigenic shifts in these proteins in the Dutch B. pertussis population, and it was suggested that these shifts were driven by vaccination. The recent Italian clinical trial provided the opportunity to compare the frequencies of Prn and PT S1 subunit variants in strains isolated from unvaccinated children, and from children vaccinated with two acellular and one whole-cell pertussis vaccine. Four Prn variants (Prn1, Prn2, Prn3 and Prn5) were found in the 129 strains analysed. Prn1, Prn2 and Prn3 have been described previously, whereas Prn5 is a novel variant. Prn1, Prn2, Prn3 and Prn5 were found in, respectively, 6, 41, 51 and 2% of the strains. The B. pertussis strains used to produce the vaccines administered in the clinical trial were found to produce Prn1, or a type which differed from Prn1 in one amino acid. The frequency of the Prn1 variant was found to be lowest in the strains isolated from vaccinated groups, suggesting that Prn1 strains are more affected by vaccine-induced immunity than Prn2 and Prn3 strains. Only one PT S1 type (S1A) was observed in the examined strains, which was distinct from the types produced by the vaccine strains (S1B and S1D). The S1A type also predominates in the Dutch B. pertussis population. The genetic relationship among B. pertussis strains analysed by IS1002-based DNA fingerprinting revealed that three fingerprint types predominate, representing more than 70% of the strains. Prn2 strains showed a greater variety of fingerprint types compared to Prn3, suggesting that Prn3 has emerged more recently. The results are discussed in the light of vaccine-driven evolution.