• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.469-472
• /
• 2003

A method that effectively precipitates capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae type b (polyribosylribitol phosphate, PRP) conjugated to tetanus toxoid (TT), PRP TT in a liquid vaccine has been developed to measure free PRP present in TT-conjugate vaccine. The method involves adding anti-TT antibody and ammonium sulfate to precipitate PRP-TT conjugate and measuring free PRP in tile supernatant. This new method provides a complete precipitation of the total PRP-TT, and provides an accurate and reproducible measurements of free PRP. The accuracy of the assay was confirmed by spiking known amounts of unconjugated PRP to PRP-TT conjugate, and the new method was found to have no effect on free PRP while precipitating PRP-TT. The published acid precipitation method did not produce reproducible results due to incomplete precipitation of PRP-TT, especially when the vaccine is formulated in a salt-buffered solution.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.490-494
• /
• 2004

An efficacy test of PRP (polyribosylribitol phosphate)-TT (Tetanus toxoid) conjugate vaccines was carried out using BALB/c mice as an animal model by inoculating Haemophilus in­fluenzae type b (Hib) with a virulence enhancement factor (VEF). Three administrations of the conjugate vaccines at 2-week intervals elicited a significantly high level of PRP antibodies (P>0.0001). The protective activity of the PRP immunization was challenged with either Hib with iron dextran (Hib/) or with a combination of mucin and hemoglobin (Hibmh) as a VEF. The me­dium lethal dose $(LD_{50})$ for Hibmh and Hibiwas measured as 10 CFU (Colony Forming Unit) and $2.5{\times}10^{8}$ CFU respectively. Each immunized animal was challenged with five or ten times the $LD_{50}$ level of bacteria with a VEF. A significant difference in mortality between the immunized and control mice (P> 0.01) was observed with the Hibmh challenge inoculation but not with the Hibi challenge inoculation. These results show that a combination of mucin and hemoglobin was able to enhance the virulence of Hib in BALB/c mice to cause a lethal infection, thus suggesting that BALB/c mice introduced to this method can be an effective model animal for testing the protective efficacy of H. influenzae conjugate vaccines.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.125-133
• /
• 2017

Purpose: After the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine in 1995 in Korea, it was included in the national immunization program in 2013. In the post-Hib vaccine era, some studies in other countries reported that invasive Hib disease affects adults, especially the elderly and immunocompromised persons, more often than it affects children. To evaluate disease susceptibility, quantitative and qualitative analysis of anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP) antibodies were carried out in Korean adults aged 20 to 85 years. Methods: Sera were collected from 39 healthy adults (20 to 50 years of age) and from 30 elderly adults (75 to 85 years of age) who did not have immune-compromising conditions. The concentration of anti-PRP immunoglobulin G (IgG) and serum bactericidal indices (SBIs) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and serum bactericidal assay. Results: Geometric mean concentrations of anti-PRP IgG and geometric mean SBIs were $0.88{\mu}g/mL$ (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17 to 3.85) and 354 (95% CI, 50 to 2,499) in young adults and $1.67{\mu}g/mL$ (95% CI, 0.53 to 5.24) and 449 (95% CI, 146 to 1,376) in elderly adults, respectively. When the threshold of seropositivity for anti-PRP IgG was applied as 0.15 or $1.0{\mu}g/mL$, which is the protective antibody level in children, seropositive rates were 87.2% or 53.8% in young adults and 100% or 60% in elderly adults. The seropositivity rates of the SBI ($SBI{\geq}4$) were 82.1% and 100% in the groups, respectively. Conclusions: Most subjects in the adult and elderly adult groups display immunity to Hib based on quantitative and qualitative antibody levels, but not all. Because high immunization and low Hib circulation rates may reduce the natural Hib immunity in the population, monitoring Hib immunity as well as disease are needed continuously.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 2007

Purpose : This study was conducted to validate enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the quantitative measurement of human IgG antibodies specific for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) capsular polysaccharide. Method : We evaluated specificity, repeatability, intermediate precision, accuracy, lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), and stability to validate standardized EIA for the quantitative measurement of human anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP) IgG antibodies. Results : The results indicated that this EIA showed specificity to HbO-HA antigen and repeatability and intermediate precision were within acceptance criteria (repeatability: $CV{\leq}15%$, intermediate precision: $CV{\leq}20%$). The EIA-derived results from this laboratory were equivalent to those obtained by the standard radioactive antigen binding assay (RABA) for quantitation of anti-PRP antibodies in the 28 sera. Spiking recovery result was within acceptance criteria ($100{\pm}20%$). The precision and accuracy of samples in LLOQ were from -14.7 to -4.7% in nominal values, which were within acceptance criteria (precision: $CV{\leq}25%$, accuracy: ${\pm}25%$). Freeze-thaw stability and short term temperature stability were within ${\pm}20%$ of acceptance criteria. Conclusions : The EIA which is performed at the Center for Vaccine Evaluation and Study Ewha Medical Research Institute, is an appropriate serologic assay which can be used for quantitation of anti-PRP IgG antibodies in human sera.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.449-456
• /
• 2007

Purpose : Antibody persistence after primary series of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine and responses to a boosters are little known in Korean children. We performed this study to evaluate the antibody titer in relation with a booster immunization of Hib vaccine in Korean children. Methods : One hundred forty-four children aged 12-23 months old were enrolled in three university hospitals. The immunogenicity of a boosters with Hib vaccine was assessed in children previously primed with Hib vaccine. Antibody persistence was also assessed in children who had received 3 doses of Hib vaccine without a booster. Anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP) IgG antibody levels and bactericidal titers were determined by enzyme immunoassay and bactericidal assay at the Center for Vaccine Evaluation and Study, Medical Research Institute, Ewha Womans University. Results : Prior to a booster in the second year of life, geometric mean antibody concentrations were $2.39{\mu}g/mL$ and the percent of subjects who had a anti-PRP antibody level ${\geq}1{\mu}g/mL$ was 68.6%. After boosting, antibody concentration was $19.09{\mu}g/mL$ and the percent of subjects who had a anti-PRP antibody level ${\geq}1{\mu}g/mL$ was 96.5%, which reflects previous immune priming. In subjects who had finished primary immunization only, the bactericidal titer was 3,946 and in subjects who had a booster, it was 11,205. Anti-PRP antibody level was correlated with serum bactericidal titer. Conclusion : Many children aged 12-23 month old still had protective antibodies after recommended primary immunization only. A booster dose seemed to induce good anamnestic antibody responses in Korean children.