Serum antibodies to the pneumococcal surface proteins PhtB and PhtE in Finnish infants and adults.

We examined naturally acquired antibodies to pneumococcal vaccine candidate proteins PhtB and PhtE in children during their first 2 years of life. Prior culture-confirmed pneumococcal exposure was shown to induce the development of anti-PhtB and -PhtE antibodies. The anti-PhtB or -PhtE antibody concentrations were not significantly associated with a decreased risk of subsequent pneumococcal acute otitis media.