title: Clinical observations on varicella-zoster vaccinees treated with immunosuppressants for a malignancy.
abstract: Between 1974 and 1983, 60 persons have been immunized at Kyushu University Hospital with a live attenuated varicella-zoster virus vaccine, Oka strain. The recipients were classified into 3 groups: those with a malignancy, those with the nephrotic syndrome and those with diseases not related to immuno-hematologic dyscrasia. The only adverse clinical reactions to the vaccine were skin rash with 3-30 vesicles and a body temperature of 38 C, which were seen in 2/21 (9.5%), 4/16 (25%) and 3/23 (13%) patients in the respective groups within 5 weeks after vaccination. From 6 months to 9 years after the vaccination, exogenous varicella infection occurred in 5/21 (23.8%), 1/16 (6.25%), and 0/23 (0%) patients in the respective groups. It is concluded that for patients with malignancies, revaccination is desirable to ensure the protective effect of the vaccine.
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D012449:Safety; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines