Transmission of varicella-zoster virus from a vaccinee with leukemia, demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction.
A 5-year-old white boy in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukemia who was receiving maintenance anticancer chemotherapy had approximately 200 vesicular skin lesions 1 month after receiving live attenuated varicella vaccine. About 2 to 3 weeks later, a mild illness resembling varicella occurred in his susceptible siblings and in three of his classmates. Vaccine-type varicella-zoster virus was demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction in swab specimens from vesicular lesions in his two siblings, in whom antibody to varicella-zoster virus also developed.
Hughes
P
P
Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032.
LaRussa
P
P
Pearce
J M
JM
Lepow
M
M
Steinberg
S
S
Gershon
A
A
D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission*; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000009:adverse effects; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects*
D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines