title: Varicella vaccination in children after bone marrow transplantation.
abstract: Herpes zoster (HZ) is one of the most common complications after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in children. Apart from treatment with antiviral drugs, effective prevention by active immunization with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) appears to be possible. In this study 15 patients were vaccinated with a live attenuated VZV vaccine (Varilrix) 12-23 months after BMT. The vaccine was well tolerated without adverse reactions. Chickenpox or HZ were not observed for up to 2 years after immunization. Eight out of nine seronegative patients seroconverted and in six virus-specific IgG could still be demonstrated 2 years later. The incidence of VZV diseases in 133 non-immunized children after BMT was 26.3%. Infections usually occurred within 18 months after BMT.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Antiviral Chemotherapy of the Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sauerbrei
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prager
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hengst
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zintl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wutzler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C020235:brivudine; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine