Streptococcus pneumoniae continues to cause serious infections in HIV-positive individuals in the era of highly active anti-retroviral therapy. This led to the recommendation to revaccinate HIV-positive individuals with PPV23 five years after primary vaccination. The benefits of revaccination and the impact of long term highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) on antigen-specific B cell reconstitution have remained unclear thus far and were investigated. Julie Westerink et al. assessed antibody levels, opsonophagocytic activity and phenotype of pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPS) specific-B cells post-revaccination in long term HAART cohorts stratified according to CD4 count as group A (CD4>200) and group B (CD4<200). Anti-PPS IgG, IgM and functional antibody response against vaccine serotypes 14 and 23F were measured by ELISA and opsonophagocytic assay followed by phenotypic analysis of PPS14 and 23F-specific B cells using fluorescently labeled PPS. Results found that significant increases in total and functional antibody titers were noted in groups A and B post-vaccination concomitant with significant rise in PPS-specific IgM memory B cells, a critical B cell subset required for protection against PPS although the overall response remained significantly diminished compared to HIV-negative volunteers.

Citation: https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/response-to-pneumococcal-polysaccharide-vaccination-in-hivpositive-individuals-on-long-term-highly-active-antiretroviral-therapy-2155-6113.1000421.php?aid=39196

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