Pneumococcal Vaccination in Aging HIV Positive Adults

The investigators hypothesized that pneumococcal vaccination with either the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine PPV-23 (Pneumovax-23) alone or the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV-13 (Prevnar-13) followed by PPV-23 results in a similar antibody levels/functional antibody activity and induce similar pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPS)-specific B cell response in HIV positive individuals > 50 years of age, HIV positive individuals 21-40 years of age as compared to HIV negative > 50 years of age. The investigators immunized the study groups HIV+ persons >50, HIV+ persons 21-40 and controls (HIV negative) with PCV 13 followed by PPV23 and HIV>50 with PPV alone and examined immune responses to polysaccharide (PPS) 23 (F),14, 3, 7 (F) and 19 (A) using polysaccharide specific ELISA and opsonophagocytic assays (OPA). Pre- and post-immunization peripheral blood samples were obtained. Extensive B cell phenotype analysis using fluorescent antibodies was used to characterize PPS-labeled B cells. Specific phenotypes were correlated with antibody levels and OPA and compared to populations immunized with PPV