A live varicella vaccine in a pediatric community.
A total of 663 children with various underlying diseases were immunized with a live varicella vaccine at the vaccine clinic of Osaka University Hospital during a period of seven years from October, 1975. Clinical reactions after vaccination occurred in 32.4% (24/74) of the children with malignancies and in 0.3% (2/591) of those in other groups. Vaccine-induced immunity was detected for more than 6 years, by FAMA (fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen) and IAHA (immune adherence hemagglutination) tests, and a skin-test for varicella-zoster virus (VZV). During an observation period of more than 7 years, clinical varicella developed in 12 children, 8 of whom were in the group with malignancies. Zoster occurred in only 4 (9.1%) of 44 vaccinees with acute leukemia, this incidence being significantly less (p less than 0.05) than that (21.6%, 8/37) in un-vaccinated leukemic children.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D012882:Skin Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines