Immunisation of nurses with a live varicella vaccine.
34 nurses who had no previous history of chickenpox and were seronegative to varicella zoster virus (VZV) were immunised with a live attenuated varicella vaccine (OKA-RIT strain) and followed up for up to 36 months. No major vaccine reactions were observed. At 5 months and at 1 year, 94% of the nurses had seroconverted but at 3 years only 64% had detectable antibody. Lymphocyte transformation to VZV antigen tested in seven nurses in whom antibody was no longer detectable gave positive stimulation indices. 2 of 13 vaccinated nurses who looked after children with chickenpox became infected but 1 of them had not seroconverted after vaccination. Chickenpox developed in 6 out of 7 unvaccinated seronegative nurses who looked after children with chickenpox. This study shows that the OKA-RIT strain VZV vaccine is safe and immunogenic in adults and may therefore be considered for use in susceptible health care workers. The investigations also show that both cell-mediated and antibody tests are needed for long-term assessment of immunity to chickenpox after vaccination.
Ndumbe
P M
PM
Cradock-Watson
J E
JE
MacQueen
S
S
Dunn
H
H
Holzel
H
H
André
F
F
Davies
E G
EG
Dudgeon
J A
JA
Levinsky
R J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007114:Immunization; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D014765:Viral Vaccines