title: Immunity to varicella-zoster virus in a normal adult population.
abstract: Sera from 489 trainee nurses were examined, by the ELISA technique, for the presence of varicella-zoster virus specific antibody; antibody was found in 446 (91.2%). In more detailed investigations of specific immunity in 33 healthy adults with a past history of chickenpox, 32 (97%) showed a positive lymphocyte transformation test, but only 11 out of 23 examined (48%) demonstrated mononuclear cell production of specific antibody in vitro; serum antibody was found in 30 (91%) by the ELISA and in 25 out of 26 examined (96%) by the FAMA technique. A high degree of correlation was found between both a positive lymphocyte transformation and the presence of serum antibody and a past history of chickenpox.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ndumbe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macqueen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Holzel
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Levinsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009726:Nurses
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M