title: The immunogenicity of influenza virus vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients.
abstract: We monitored the responses of solid organ transplant recipients (SOTs) to influenza vaccine during consecutive influenza seasons. Standard 1993-1994 trivalent influenza vaccine was given to 68 SOTs and 29 healthy young adults, and hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody titers were determined pre- and post-immunization. Significant rises in geometric mean antibody titers occurred post-immunization for all three antigens in both groups. However, the magnitude of the rise was lower in SOTs (1.5-2.3-fold vs. 8.7-10.4-fold, depending on the antigen) (P < .05), and significantly fewer SOTs had protective HI titers (> or = 1:40) for B/Panama/45/90 antigens (50% of SOTs vs. 76% of healthy subjects) and for A/Texas/36/91 (H1N1) antigens (60% vs. 90%). After exclusion of persons with high preimmunization titers, SOTs had significantly reduced frequencies of > or = 4-fold antibody responses compared with those of healthy subjects (23%-38% vs. 86%-100%) (P < .05 for each antigen). When a series of two injections of standard 1994-1995 vaccine was given to 23 SOTs, there was no significant improvement in vaccine response with the second dose. Some SOTs have deficient responses to inactivated influenza vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Blumberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Albano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pruett
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isaacs
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bergin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crump
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Hayden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D011241:Prednisone; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D011241:Prednisone