Pneumococcal antibodies (IgG, IgM) in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease 3 years after pneumococcal vaccination.

An enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to determine serum content of IgG and IgM antibodies against eight capsular polysaccharides of Streptococcus pneumoniae in 19 patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases 3 years after inoculation with a polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine (Moniatrix); 21 unvaccinated patients with comparable diseases served as the control group. The vaccinated group showed slightly more pronounced IgG antibody reactions than the unvaccinated group, but the differences were not statistically significant. These results show that pneumococcal vaccination does not provide long-term protection at least for patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.