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Serum vaccine antibody concentrations in children exposed to perfluorinated compounds
Philippe Grandjean1, Elisabeth Wreford Andersen, Esben Budtz-Jørgensen
1Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 401 Park Dr, EOME 3E-110, Boston, MA 02215, USA. pgrand@hsph.harvard.edu
Insights
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure in children is linked to lower antibody levels after routine vaccinations. This suggests PFAS may weaken immune responses to essential childhood immunizations.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Immunology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are prevalent food contaminants.
- Rodent studies indicate PFAS cause immune suppression at human-relevant serum concentrations.
- Adverse health effects of PFAS exposure remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between PFAS exposure and antibody response to childhood vaccinations.
- To determine if prenatal and early-childhood PFAS exposure impacts vaccine immunity.
Main Methods:
- Prospective birth cohort study in the Faroe Islands (n=587).
- Measured serum antibody concentrations against tetanus and diphtheria toxoids at ages 5 and 7 years.
- Analyzed serum concentrations of various PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
Main Results:
- Higher maternal and child serum concentrations of PFAS, particularly PFOS and PFOA, were negatively correlated with antibody levels.
- A 2-fold increase in major PFAS in child serum was associated with a 49% reduction in overall antibody concentration.
- Elevated PFAS levels at age 5 years increased the odds of falling below protective antibody levels by age 7 years.
Conclusions:
- Elevated PFAS exposure is associated with a diminished humoral immune response to routine childhood immunizations.
- These findings highlight potential risks of PFAS to vaccine efficacy in children.
- Further research is warranted to understand the long-term implications of PFAS on immune health.
Context:
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have emerged as important food contaminants. They cause immune suppression in a rodent model at serum concentrations similar to those occurring in the US population, but adverse health effects of PFC exposure are poorly understood.
Objective:
To determine whether PFC exposure is associated with antibody response to childhood vaccinations.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
Prospective study of a birth cohort from the National Hospital in the Faroe Islands. A total of 656 consecutive singleton births were recruited during 1997-2000, [corrected] and 587 participated in follow-up through 2008.
Main Outcome Measures:
Serum antibody concentrations against tetanus and diphtheria toxoids at ages 5 and 7 years.
Results:
Similar to results of prior studies in the United States, the PFCs with the highest serum concentrations were perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Among PFCs in maternal pregnancy serum, PFOS showed the strongest negative correlations with antibody concentrations at age 5 years, for which a 2-fold greater concentration of exposure was associated with a difference of -39% (95% CI, -55% to -17%) in the diphtheria antibody concentration. PFCs in the child's serum at age 5 years showed uniformly negative associations with antibody levels, especially at age 7 years, except that the tetanus antibody level following PFOS exposure was not statistically significant. In a structural equation model, a 2-fold greater concentration of major PFCs in child serum was associated with a difference of -49% (95% CI, -67% to -23%) in the overall antibody concentration. A 2-fold increase in PFOS and PFOA concentrations at age 5 years was associated with odds ratios between 2.38 (95% CI, 0.89 to 6.35) and 4.20 (95% CI, 1.54 to 11.44) for falling below a clinically protective level of 0.1 IU/mL for tetanus and diphtheria antibodies at age 7 years.
Conclusion:
Elevated exposures to PFCs were associated with reduced humoral immune response to routine childhood immunizations in children aged 5 and 7 years.
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