In:
European Journal of Immunology, Wiley, Vol. 43, No. 10 ( 2013-10), p. 2659-2670
Abstract:
Splenectomized patients are exposed to an increased risk of septicemia caused by encapsulated bacteria. Defense against infection is ensured by preformed serum antibodies produced by long‐lived plasma cells and by memory B cells that secrete immunoglobulin in response to specific antigenic stimuli. Studying a group of asplenic individuals (57 adults and 21 children) without additional immunologic defects, we found that spleen removal does not alter serum anti‐pneumococcal polysaccharide ( P n PS ) I g G concentration, but reduces the number of P n PS ‐specific memory B cells, of both I g M and I g G isotypes. The number of specific memory B cells was low in splenectomized adults and children that had received the P n PS vaccine either before or after splenectomy. Seven children were given the 13‐valent pneumococcal conjugated vaccine after splenectomy. In this group, the number of P n PS ‐specific I g G memory B cells was similar to that of eusplenic children, suggesting that pneumococcal conjugated vaccine administered after splenectomy is able to restore the pool of anti‐ P n PS I g G memory B cells. Our data further elucidate the crucial role of the spleen in the immunological response to infections caused by encapsulated bacteria and suggest that glycoconjugated vaccines may be the most suitable choice to generate I g G ‐mediated protection in these patients.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0014-2980
,
1521-4141
DOI:
10.1002/eji.201343577
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2013
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1491907-2
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