Field trial of oral cholera vaccines in Bangladesh: evaluation of anti-bacterial and anti-toxic breast-milk immunity in response to ingestion of the vaccines

John D. Clemens, David A. Sack, J. Chakraborty, M. R. Rao, Faruque Ahmed, Jeffrey R. Harris, Frederik van Loon, M. R. Khan, Md Yunis, S. Huda, Bradford A. Kay, Ann Mari Svennerholm, Jan Holmgren

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

In a field trial conducted in Bangladesh, ingestion of either B subunit-killed whole cell (BS-WC) or killed whole cell (WC) oral cholera vaccines by mothers was associated with a 47% reduction of the risk of cholera in their non-vaccinated children aged under 36 months. Because vaccine-induced breast-milk immunity seemed a possible explanation for these findings, we evaluated anti-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and anti-cholera toxin (CT) IgA antibody responses in breast milk collected during the trial from 53 lactating women who ingested three doses of BS-WC, WC, or an Escherichia coli K12 strain (K12). Despite induction of moderate vibriocidal (1.4 to 2.0-fold) and anti-CT (4.5-fold) serum antibody responses, the vaccines did not elicit significant rises of anti-LPS or anti-CT IgA breast-milk antibodies. The failure of the vaccines to elicit significant levels of breast-milk anti-cholera antibodies suggests an alternative explanation for protection of young children by maternal vaccination, such as interruption of maternal-child transmission of Vibrio cholerae 01.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)469-472
Number of pages4
JournalVaccine
Volume8
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1990

Keywords

  • Cholera
  • breast feeding
  • breast milk
  • secretory immunity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • General Immunology and Microbiology
  • General Veterinary
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Infectious Diseases

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