Maternal and Infant Histo-Blood Group Antigen (HBGA) Profiles and Their Influence on Oral Rotavirus Vaccine (Rotarix<sup>TM</sup>) Immunogenicity among Infants in Zambia
Adriace Chauwa,
Samuel Bosomprah,
Natasha Makabilo Laban,
Bernard Phiri,
Mwelwa Chibuye,
Obvious Nchimunya Chilyabanyama,
Sody Munsaka,
Michelo Simuyandi,
Innocent Mwape,
Cynthia Mubanga,
Masuzyo Chirwa Chobe,
Caroline Chisenga,
Roma Chilengi
Affiliations
Adriace Chauwa
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Samuel Bosomprah
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Natasha Makabilo Laban
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Bernard Phiri
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Mwelwa Chibuye
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Obvious Nchimunya Chilyabanyama
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Sody Munsaka
Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 50110, Zambia
Michelo Simuyandi
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Innocent Mwape
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Cynthia Mubanga
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Masuzyo Chirwa Chobe
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Caroline Chisenga
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Roma Chilengi
Enteric Disease and Vaccine Research Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 34681, Zambia
Live-attenuated, oral rotavirus vaccines have significantly reduced rotavirus-associated diarrhoea morbidity and infant mortality. However, vaccine immunogenicity is diminished in low-income countries. We investigated whether maternal and infant intrinsic susceptibility to rotavirus infection via histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) profiles influenced rotavirus (ROTARIX®) vaccine-induced responses in Zambia. We studied 135 mother–infant pairs under a rotavirus vaccine clinical trial, with infants aged 6 to 12 weeks at pre-vaccination up to 12 months old. We determined maternal and infant ABO/H, Lewis, and secretor HBGA phenotypes, and infant FUT2 HBGA genotypes. Vaccine immunogenicity was measured as anti-rotavirus IgA antibody titres. Overall, 34 (31.3%) children were seroconverted at 14 weeks, and no statistically significant difference in seroconversion was observed across the various HBGA profiles in early infant life. We also observed a statistically significant difference in rotavirus-IgA titres across infant HBGA profiles at 12 months, though no statistically significant difference was observed between the study arms. There was no association between maternal HBGA profiles and infant vaccine immunogenicity. Overall, infant HBGAs were associated with RV vaccine immunogenicity at 12 months as opposed to in early infant life. Further investigation into the low efficacy of ROTARIX® and appropriate intervention is key to unlocking the full vaccine benefits for U5 children.
