title: Analysis of the persistence of humoral and cellular immunity in children and adults immunized with varicella vaccine.
abstract: The persistence of humoral and cellular immunity to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was evaluated in 60 children and 18 adults immunized with live attenuated VZV vaccine. At a mean of 5 years after vaccination, 93% of children and 94% of adults had IgG antibodies to VZV as determined by ELISA. VZV antibody concentrations were significantly higher at 5 years than at 1 year after immunization in children and adults. Cell-mediated immunity to VZV was detected in 87% of children and 94% of adults at 5 years. The mean stimulation index was significantly higher at 5 years than at 1 year among children and adults. Cytokine responses to VZV, including interleukin-2, interferon-gamma, and interleukin-10 were equivalent between children and adults at 5 years. In summary, varicella immunization induced long-term humoral and cellular immunity, and initial differences between cell-mediated responses in children and adults diminished over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305-5208, USA. zerboni@leland.stanford.edu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zerboni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nader
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Arvin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002455:Cell Division; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma