Infant serotype specific anti-capsular immunoglobulin G antibody and risk of invasive group B Streptococcal disease.

Past studies have mainly investigated the association of serotype-specific capsular IgG in the mother and risk reduction of invasive Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in their young infants. The efficiency of transplacental transfer of IgG could be affected by multiple maternal factors. Hence, investigation of infant serum GBS anti-capsular IgG and risk reduction for invasive GBS disease may be more robust and generalizable. In a matched case-control study, infant serum serotype-specific capsular polysaccharide Ia and III IgG concentrations were analyzed in infants with invasive GBS cases and healthy controls born to women with recto-vaginal colonization by the homotypic serotype. Using Bayesian modeling, an antibody concentration of 2.5 µg/mL and 1 µg/mL predicted a 90% reduced risk of invasive disease for serotype Ia and III, respectively. These data contribute to the possible licensure of a GBS polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine, targeted at pregnant women, based on serological correlates of protection against invasive GBS disease.