Is there a relationship between malnutrition, inflammation, and post-vaccinal antibody response to influenza viruses in the elderly?

This study was designed to explore the relationship between malnutrition, inflammation, and the specific antibody response after influenza vaccination in the elderly. Eighty-two aged subjects, immunized annually against influenza with a trivalent inactivated vaccine, were evaluated for 9 protein markers (albumin, thyroxin-binding prealbumin, transferrin, immunoglobulins (Ig) G, M, and A, orosomucoid, haptoglobin, and C reactive protein) and for their antibody response to influenza viruses in comparison to 29 younger adults who received the same vaccine and 21 unvaccinated adults. IgM and nutritional markers were significantly reduced in the aged as compared to controls, while the opposite pattern was seen for IgA and inflammatory markers.

Role of influenza vaccination in the elderly during an epidemic of A/H1N1 virus in 1988-1989: clinical and serological data.

During a winter epidemic of A/H1N1 influenza virus, we evaluated the protection conferred by vaccination of 285 residents of a nursing home. Fifteen of 204 members of the nursing staff were also vaccinated. Serological determinations were performed before and after vaccination using radial hemolysis (RH) and neuraminidase inhibition (NI) tests.

Prevalence of CMV ELISA antibody: titer and neutralizing activity in intramuscular immune globulin of placental origin.

The treatment of human CMV infection in transplant recipients by intravenous or intramuscular administration with high doses of hyperimmune or normal Ig showed inconsistent results. In fact, all hyperimmune Ig preparations were produced from high anti-CMV Ab titer plasma selected either by ELISA, complement fixation, or indirect hemagglutination test. These tests may not investigate the neutralizing activity of antibodies (Ab).