A COMPARISON OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIBODY-RESPONSES TO THE POLYSACCHARIDE ANTIGEN (CANDIDA-ALBICANS MANNAN) IN ATOPIC AND HEALTHY INFANTSAND CHILDREN

Background Defective antibody response against bacterial polysaccharid e antigens is known to be associated with recurrent pyogenic infection s. The role of childhood allergy as a risk factor for repeated infecti ons with capsulated micro-organisms has been controversial. Objective To compare the development of polysaccharide specific antibody respons es in atopic and healthy infants and children. Methods The antibody re sponses against a common polysaccharide antigen, Candida albicans mann an, were studied longitudinally in 18 atopic and 19 non-atopic childre n over the first 5 years of life. Determinations of IgA, IgG and ISM a ntibodies were carried out by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Ig E antibodies by nitrocellulose-based radioallergosorbent test. Results The polysaccharide specific antibody responses were similar in both g roups, except that anti-mannan IgM levels were higher at 5 years in th e atopic children (P < 0.05, student's t-test). Conclusion Atopic chil dren are not more susceptible to bacterial infections on the basis of poorer ability to produce antibodies against polysaccharide antigens.