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Humoral response to conjugate pneumococcal vaccine in paediatric oncology patients

Frankie Wai Tsoi Cheng1, Margaret Ip, Yvonne Yuen Ling Chu

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, 6/F, Clinical Sciences Building, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. frankiecheng@cuhk.edu.hk

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|November 27, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) effectively protects children against pneumococcal disease. This study shows PCV-7 vaccination elicits protective antibody responses in pediatric oncology patients.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is crucial for preventing invasive pneumococcal diseases.
  • The efficacy of PCV in pediatric oncology patients, a high-risk group, was previously unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the antibody response to heptavalent PCV (PCV-7) in pediatric oncology patients.
  • To determine if PCV-7 vaccination can induce protective immunity in this vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 44 pediatric oncology patients received two doses of PCV-7.
  • Antibody responses against seven pneumococcal serotypes were measured.
  • Patient demographics and invasive pneumococcal disease incidence were monitored.

Main Results:

  • Following two PCV-7 doses, 86-100% of patients achieved protective antibody titers against the targeted serotypes.
  • Significant increases in geometric mean antibody concentrations were observed, ranging from 3.8-fold to 85.8-fold.
  • No cases of invasive pneumococcal disease were reported in the study cohort during the observation period.

Conclusions:

  • Heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) is capable of inducing protective antipneumococcal antibody responses in pediatric oncology patients.
  • PCV vaccination appears to be a safe and effective strategy for immunocompromised children undergoing cancer treatment.
Abstract

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