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Low cord blood pneumococcal antibody concentrations predict more episodes of otitis media

E T Becken1, K A Daly, B R Lindgren

  • 1Otitis Media Research Center, MMC 396, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.

Archives of Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery
|May 18, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Low cord blood antibody levels against pneumococcal serotype 19F are linked to more infant ear infections (otitis media). Maternal immunization may help reduce these episodes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Otitis media (OM) is a common childhood infection.
  • Pneumococcal antibodies in cord blood may offer protection against OM.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between cord blood anticapsular polysaccharide pneumococcal IgG antibody concentration and the incidence of otitis media (OM) and acute OM in infants during their first year of life.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 415 infants from birth to 24 months.
  • Cord blood samples analyzed for pneumococcal IgG antibody concentrations.
  • Infants followed for physician-diagnosed OM episodes (OM with effusion and acute OM) up to 12 months.

Main Results:

  • Low cord blood antibody concentrations against serotypes 3 and 19F predicted more acute OM episodes.
  • Low antibody concentrations against serotypes 19F and 23F predicted more overall OM episodes.
  • Serotype 19F antibodies remained significantly associated with the number of OM episodes after adjusting for confounding factors.

Conclusions:

  • Low cord blood antibody concentrations to pneumococcal serotype 19F are a predictor of increased OM episodes in the first year of life.
  • Maternal immunization could be a strategy to enhance neonatal antibody levels, potentially reducing OM incidence and severity.
Abstract

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