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The currently used  Streptococcus pneumoniae  vaccines have had a significant impact on the pneumococcal diseases caused by the serotypes they cover. Their limitations have stimulated a search for alternate vaccines that will cover all serotypes, be affordable and effective in young children. Pneumococcal protein antigens are potential vaccine candidates that may meet some of the shortfalls of the current vaccines. Thus, this study aimed to determine the relationship between antibodies against pneumococcal protein antigens and nasopharyngeal carriage in infants.    Methods  One hundred and twenty mother-infant pairs were enrolled into the study. They had nasopharyngeal swabs(NPS) taken at birth and every two weeks for the first eight weeks after delivery, and blood samples were obtained at birth and every four weeks for the first eight weeks after delivery. Nasopharyngeal carriage of  S .  pneumoniae  was determined from the NPS and antibodies against the pneumococcal proteins CbpA, PspA and rPly were measured in the blood samples.    Results  The  S .  pneumoniae  carriage rate in infants increased to that of mothers by eight weeks of age. The odds of carriage in infants was 6.2 times (95% CI: 2.0–18.9) higher when their mothers were also carriers. Bacterial density in infants was lower at birth compared to their mothers (p = 0.004), but increased with age and became higher than that of their mothers at weeks 4 (p = 0.009), 6 (p = 0.002) and 8 (p<0.0001). At birth, the infants’ antibodies against  CbpA , and  rPly  pneumococcal protein antigens were similar, but that of  PspA  was lower (p<0.0001), compared to their mothers. Higher antibody concentrations to  CbpA  [OR (95% CI): 0.49 (0.26–0.92, p = 0.03)], but not  PspA  and  rPly , were associated with protection against carriage in the infants.    Conclusion  Naturally induced antibodies against the three pneumococcal protein antigens were transferred from mother to child. The proportion of infants with nasopharyngeal carriage and the bacterial density of  S .  pneumoniae  increased with age within the first eight weeks of life. Higher concentrations of antibodies against  CbpA , but not  PspA  and  rPly , were associated with reduced risk of nasopharyngeal carriage of  S .  pneumoniae  in infants.

Kinetics of antibodies against pneumococcal proteins and their relationship to nasopharyngeal carriage in the first two months of life