Varicella vaccine: the American experience.
Live attenuated varicella vaccine is safe and effective in preventing chickenpox. The best immune responses occur in healthy children. Leukemic children have a 50% incidence of mild-to-moderate adverse effects but have a high degree of protection once immune reactions to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) have developed. Adult vaccinees have a lower degree of protection (70%) than children. Vaccinees who develop breakthrough varicella usually have a modified infection. Another significant advantage of vaccination is that in leukemic children it leads to a lower incidence of zoster than after natural chickenpox. It is possible to differentiate between vaccine-type and wild-type VZV using a combination of polymerase chain reaction and restriction endonuclease digestion. A new assay for antibodies to VZV measured by latex agglutination reveals that 8-10 years after vaccination antibodies are detectable in greater than 90% of leukemic children who have not had breakthrough varicella.
Gershon
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AA
Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032.
LaRussa
P
P
Hardy
I
I
Steinberg
S
S
Silverstein
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D002648:Child; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000517:prevention & control; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D014481:United States; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines