PFAS Exposure and Immune Response to Vaccination in Adults

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey20 enrolled

Overview

This clinical trial aims to investigate how exposure to Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), affects the immune response to the standard tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine. The study focuses on participants from a community with known prior PFNA exposure through contaminated drinking water. The main question it aims to answer is: * Does exposure to PFNA weaken the body's initial immune response, leading to lower levels of protective antibodies after vaccination? Participants will: * Receive Tetanus and Diphtheria (Td) booster vaccination * Visit the study office 7 times over a 30-day period * Have blood and saliva collected at each study visit

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Innate Inflammatory Response Vaccination Diphtheria Tetanus

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 89 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Participated in the Paulsboro PFAS Health Study * Provided a blood sample for the Paulsboro PFAS Health Study * Weigh at least 110 pounds Exclusion Criteria: * Currently Pregnant * History of difficult blood draws * History of adverse reaction to prior vaccinations * Currently taking immune suppressants * Recent dental surgery or dental procedure within 4 weeks of starting study * Had a Td booster in the past 10 years

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Tetanus-diphtheria Specific IgG by PFNA Exposure Category

Quantitative measurement of tetanus and diphtheria specific IgG antibodies in serum collected at baseline (pre-vaccination) and Day 30 post-vaccination. Change is expressed as log₂ transformed fold change: log₂(day30 IgG / baseline IgG). IgG concentrations were measured using commercially available ELISA kits following the manufacturer's instructions. Serum PFNA levels were measured prior to enrollment. IgG was measured at baseline and 30 days post vaccination.

Time frame: 30 days