Naturally acquired immunity to Haemophilus influenzae type B in healthy Cuban children

Abstract

We have evaluated the prevalence of antibody to immunogenicity of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in a group of 4 to 5 years old healthy children, who were too old to be included in the first vaccinated cohort when Hib vaccination begun in Cuba in 1999. Serum capsular polysaccharide specific IgG antibody concentrations were measured in 974 healthy children, between February and May 2002. The prevalence of Hib nasopharyngeal carriage was also estimated. The majority of children (99.7%) had more than 1 µg/ml of antibody. The preliminary report of the nasopharyngeal cultures was positive for H. influenzae in 16 children, but in only one was confirmed as Hib after serotyping (0.1% Hib nasopharyngeal carrier). These results provide evidence that in Cuba the natural active immunity to Hib can be acquired at an early age.

Keywords

• Haemophilus influenzae type b
• natural immunity
• pre-vaccination antibody titres
• Cuba