Response to influenza vaccine in children with leukemia undergoing chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the ability of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) to develop an antibody response after influenza vaccination.


METHODS
A total of 65 children under 15 years old were studied, including 25 children with ALL undergoing chemotherapy, 30 with asthma in remission who were regularly followed at clinics, and 10 healthy children. The influenza vaccine contained antigens B/Yamanashi/166/98, A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1), and A/Panama/2007/99 (H3N2).


RESULTS
Children with ALL developed significant antibody titers to A/Panama /2007/ 99 antigen 4 weeks after the second immunization. Seroconversion rates after two doses of vaccine were 57.1 to 84.6% and seroresponse rates were between 24 and 60% in children with ALL. Compared to children with asthma in remission, who were regarded as immunocompetent individuals, the ALL children had less seroconversion and lower seroresponse rates to A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1). The seroconversion and seroresponse rates to B/Yamanashi/166/98 and A/ Panama/2007/99(H3N2) antigens were comparable in asthmatic and leukemic children. On the other hand, the antibody response in children with ALL who received reinduction chemotherapy suggests that the therapy did not impair seroresponse rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that the influenza vaccine is safe and effective in children with either ALL or asthma in Taiwan.
Hsieh
Yu-Chia
YC
Department of Pediatrics, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lu
Meng-Yao
MY
Kao
Chuan-Laing
CL
Chiang
Bor-Luen
BL
Lin
Dong-Tasmn
DT
Lin
Kai-Sin
KS
Huang
Li-Min
LM
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007252:Influenza Vaccines