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Levels of Antibodies Specific to Tetanus Toxoid, Haemophilus influenzae Type b, and Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide in Healthy Children and Adults

Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin der Ruhr Universität, Bochum,¹ Klinik für Anästhesiologie und Operative Intensivmedizin, Marienhospital, Herne,² Universitätskinderklinik Leipzig, Leipzig,³ Altonaer Kinderkrankenhaus, Hamburg,⁴ Institut für Klinische Chemie und Molekulare Diagnostik, Philipps Universität, Marburg,⁵ The Binding Site GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany⁶

Received 2 May 2002/ Returned for modification 21 June 2002/ Accepted 22 October 2002

Antibody levels specific for capsular polysaccharides of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and for tetanus toxoid were measured in serum samples of 386 age-stratified subjects. The study group consists of healthy adult blood donors and hospitalized children undergoing elective surgery, excluding individuals with a history of infection. In children, anti-tetanus toxoid antibody levels displayed two peaks of 1.20 IU/ml (20.4 mg/liter) and 1.65 IU/ml (28.1 mg/liter) related to the schedule of routine childhood immunization in the first year and at 8 years of age. Eighty percent of the antibodies are of the immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) isotype. For pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PCP), the specific antibody levels represent the acquisition of natural immunity. The initial concentration of 9.2 mg/liter was low in infancy (0.5 to 1 years of age) and remained low until 3 to 4 years of age (14.6 mg/liter). During this period PCP antibodies were almost 100% of the IgG2 subclass. Thereafter, IgG anti-PCP antibody titers increased steadily to adult levels (59.5 mg/liter). The data are intended to provide reference ranges to aid in the interpretation of specific antibody determinations in the clinical setting.