Effect of HIV Infection Status and Anti-Retroviral Treatment on Quantitative and Qualitative Antibody Responses to Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Infants

Serotype-specific antibody concentration and opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) were evaluated after 3 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Groups included human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive infants with CD4(+) cell percentages >= 25% who initiated immediate antiretroviral treatment (the HIV+/ART+ group) or whose antiretroviral treatment was deferred until clinically or immunologically indicated (the HIV+/ART- group). Immune responses were also evaluated in HIV-noninfected infants born to HIV-seronegative (M-/I-) or HIV-positive mothers (M+/I-). Antibody concentrations were similar between HIV+/ART+ and HIV+/ART- infants. However, antibody concentrations were lower in M/I- infants than in M+/I- infants. Nevertheless, M-/I- infants had superior OPA responses, compared with those in HIV+/ART+ infants, who in turn had better OPA responses, compared with those in HIV+/ART- infants.