Human T lymphotropic virus type II infection and humoral responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide and tetanus toxoid vaccines

J Infect Dis. 2005 Apr 15;191(8):1239-44. doi: 10.1086/428505. Epub 2005 Mar 14.

Abstract

Infection with human T lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) has been linked to an increased incidence of bacterial pneumonia. To determine whether HTLV-II infection is associated with impaired humoral immune responses, we immunized a cohort of HTLV-II-infected subjects and matched uninfected control subjects with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide and tetanus toxoid vaccines. The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine elicited comparable and significant increases in concentrations of IgG against all 5 serotypes tested at 1 and 6 months after immunization in both groups. The avidity and opsonophagocytic functions of the anticapsular IgG were similar. The concentrations of tetanus toxoid-specific IgG also increased comparably and significantly over time in both groups. Thus, HTLV-II-infected persons develop robust humoral responses to potentially protective polysaccharide and protein vaccines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibody Affinity
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • HTLV-II Infections / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunization
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Least-Squares Analysis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phagocytosis
  • Pneumococcal Vaccines / immunology*
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / classification
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / immunology
  • Tetanus Toxoid / immunology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Pneumococcal Vaccines
  • Tetanus Toxoid