Race-related differences in functional antibody response to pneumococcal vaccination in HIV-infected individuals.

Background: Both HIV positivity and African American (AA) ethnicity are associated with increased incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Poor immune response to pneumococcal polysaccharide-based vaccines may contribute to the race related increased frequency of IPD in African American HIV positive individuals.

Methods: Caucasian and AA HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals 40-65 years old with CD4 T cells/µl (CD4) >200 on antiretroviral therapy (ART) received either the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) followed by the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) or PPV only.

Systemic translocation of Staphylococcus drives autoantibody production in HIV disease.

Background: Increased autoreactive antibodies have been reported in HIV disease; however, the mechanism accounting for autoantibody induction in HIV remains unknown.

Results: Herein, we show that seasonal influenza vaccination induces autoantibody production (e.g.

Increased influenza-specific antibody avidity in HIV-infected women compared with HIV-infected men on antiretroviral therapy.

Background: It is recommended that HIV-infected individuals receive annual influenza vaccination due to their high susceptibility to influenza infection, especially among women. However, there have been few studies investigating sex-related responses to influenza vaccine in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated HIV-infected individuals.

Method: In this study, 26 aviremic ART-treated HIV-infected individuals and 16 healthy controls were enrolled in the current study.

Quantitative and Functional Antibody Responses to the 13-Valent Conjugate and/or 23-Valent Purified Polysaccharide Vaccine in Aging HIV-Infected Adults.

Background: The number of aging human immunodeficiency virus-infected (HIV+) individuals living in the United States has substantially grown over the past two decades. Advanced age and HIV infection both increase susceptibility to infection due to B cell dysfunction. The combined impact of these factors on pneumococcal vaccine responses remains unknown.

Inflammatory Markers and Immune Response to Pneumococcal Vaccination in HIV-Positive and -Negative Adults.

Background: Members of the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-superfamily have speculated roles in the response against T-independent type II antigens (TI-II) including pneumococcal polysaccharides (PPS). Dysregulation in their expression is associated with an enhanced risk for pneumococcal disease in neonates but their expression in other high-risk populations including HIV-positive individuals remains to be elucidated.

Objective: To investigate signals that contribute towards PPS-response and identify potential anomalies that may account for diminished serological response in HIV-positive individuals post Pneumovax (PPV23) immunization.