Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Immunogenicity in Very-low-birth-weight, Premature Infants

Background: The heptavalent pneumococcal CRM 197 conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) has been incompletely studied in very-low-birth-weight (≤1500 g) infants. Objective: To assess PCV-7 immunogenicity in very-low-birth-weight, premature infants. We hypothesized that the frequency of postvaccine antibody concentrations ≥0.15 μg/mL would vary directly with birth weight. Methods: This was a multicenter observational study. Infants 401 to 1500 g birth weight and <32 0/7 weeks gestation, stratified by birth weight, were enrolled from 9 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network centers. Infants received PCV-7 at 2, 4, and 6 months after birth and had blood drawn 4 to 6 weeks following the third dose. Antibodies against the 7 vaccine serotypes were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Of 369 enrolled infants, 244 completed their primary vaccine series by 8 months and had serum obtained. Subjects were 27.8 ± 2.2 (mean ± standard deviation) weeks gestation and 1008 ± 282 g birth weight. Twenty-six percent had bronchopulmonary dysplasia and 16% had received postnatal glucocorticoids. Infants 1001 to 1500 g birth weight were more likely than those 401 to 1000 g to achieve antibody concentrations ≥0.15 μg/mL against the least 2 immunogenic serotypes (6B: 96% vs. 85%, P = 0.003 and 23F: 97% vs. 88%, P = 0.009). In multiple logistic regression analysis, lower birth weight, postnatal glucocorticoid use, lower weight at blood draw, and Caucasian race were each independently associated with antibody concentrations <0.35 μg/mL against serotypes 6B and/or 23F. Conclusions: When compared with larger premature infants, infants weighing ≤ 1000 g at birth have similar antibody responses to most, but not all, PCV-7 vaccine serotypes.