Obesity has increased tremendously over the past few decades, as the World Health Organization estimates nearly 500 million adults and 43 million children under the age of 5 to be obese. In addition, more than two thirds of the US Adult population is overweight or obese, which is a major area of concern, as obesity increases an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and other chronic health complications. Obesity has been shown to increase an individual’s susceptibility to the influenza virus. In order to combat this virus, individuals receive an annual influenza vaccination. In the present study, the antibody responses to annual vaccinations of 24 subjects, classified as healthy weight, overweight or obese from the UNC Flu Study were measured, by comparing the percent fold increase in immunoglobulin G subtype levels from pre vaccination to post vaccination. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was performed on the subjects serum using the 2013-2014 influenza vaccination strains to assess the levels of immunoglobin G antibodies present. There was a significant relationship between the patient sub group and time in terms of the antibodies present for IgG1 and IgGTotal antibodies. However, there was no significant relationship demonstrated for the IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, and IgGM antibodies. Future studies by performing microneutralization assays and T cell responsiveness should be conducted to further probe the effect of repeated vaccination in obese individuals.Bachelor of Science in Public Healt
