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Antibodies against some bacterial antigens in children
S Kontiainen1, I Seppälä, A Miettinen
1Department of Paediatrics and Medical Microbiology, Aurora Hospital, Finland.
Insights
This study surveyed bacterial antibodies in 173 children, finding specific antibodies like Borrelia burgdorferi and Helicobacter pylori, with few clinical infections detected. Some children with high antibody titers also showed elevated autoantibodies.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Immunology
- Microbial Serology
- Public Health
Background:
- Bacterial infections can have varying serological markers in children.
- Understanding antibody prevalence is crucial for diagnosing and managing pediatric infectious diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of various bacterial antibodies in a pediatric population.
- To correlate antibody detection with potential infections and autoimmune markers.
Main Methods:
- Serological testing for antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi, Helicobacter pylori, Campylobacter jejuni, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Yersinia, and Bordetella pertussis.
- Analysis of antibody titers (IgG, IgA, IgM) in 173 children aged 0-15 years.
- Clinical evaluation and autoantibody screening in children with high bacterial antibody titers.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of IgG Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies was 6% in children <8 years. IgG and IgA Helicobacter pylori antibodies were found in 6.5% and 3.7% of children >6 years, respectively.
- Campylobacter jejuni, antistreptolysin O, antistaphylolysin-alpha, anti-teichoic acid, and Yersinia antibodies showed low prevalence.
- High-titre Bordetella pertussis antibodies were detected in 6-8% of children, with 2 cases of whooping cough confirmed. 23% of children with high bacterial antibody titers also had elevated autoantibodies.
Conclusions:
- Specific bacterial antibodies are present in children, with varying prevalence based on age and pathogen.
- Clinical infections suggested by antibodies were infrequent, but associations with autoantibodies warrant further investigation.
- The study highlights the importance of serological surveillance in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
The prevalence of bacterial antibodies was determined in 173 children aged 0-15 years. The prevalence of IgG Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in titres > 500 in children less than 8 years of age was 6% while none of the older children had these antibodies in titres > 400. IgG Helicobacter pylori antibodies were detected only in children older than 6 years of age, with a prevalence of 6.5%, as were IgA H. pylori antibodies, with a prevalence of 3.7%. The prevalence of high-titre IgG Campylobacter jejuni antibodies was 1.2%, that of IgA 1.8% and IgM 1.2%. The prevalence of high-titre (> 500 IU/ml) antistreptolysin O was 3%, that of antistaphylolysin-alpha (> or = 4 IU/ml) 2% and that of anti-teichoic acid antibodies (titre 2) 2%. Low-titre Yersinia antibodies were detected in 2%. High-titre Bordetella pertussis antibodies were detected in 6% of recently vaccinated children and in 8% of children in their first years of school. In the latter, high-titre antibodies were mainly of the IgM and IgA classes. Altogether 35 children tested positive for bacterial antibodies other than Bordetella pertussis antibodies. Clinical evaluation revealed a possible infection, suggested by the antibody, in 5 (3%) of the children. Two (vaccinated) children had evidence of whooping cough. Eight of the 35 children with high-titre bacterial antibodies (23%) also had elevated levels of autoantibodies (but not autoimmune diseases).