title: Prediction of residual immunity to smallpox, by means of an intradermal skin test with inactivated vaccinia virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intradermal skin testing with inactivated vaccinia virus was evaluated for its prediction of residual immunity to smallpox.
  
  
  METHODS
  An intradermal skin test was performed with heat-inactivated Lancy-Vaxina. Two days later, the subjects were vaccinated with Lancy-Vaxina. The skin lesions resulting from this vaccination were used as a surrogate marker of residual immunity to smallpox, and this surrogate marker was compared with the available indicators of susceptibility to smallpox.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 83 subjects, 30 (36%) showed the typical primary response after vaccination (i.e., absence of residual immunity), whereas 34 (41%) showed the typical revaccinee's response (i.e., presence of residual immunity); the remaining 19 (23%) had an indeterminate response and were excluded from the final analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of the intradermal skin test (induration size, >or=4 mm) for prediction of residual immunity to smallpox were 85% and 97%, respectively, whereas those of a positive vaccinia-specific interferon- gamma -producing T cell response (>or=9 spot forming cells/10(6) peripheral-blood mononuclear cells) were 32% and 63%, respectively, and those of a positive neutralizing antibody (titer, >or=1 : 8) were 79% and 80%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intradermal skin test appears to be a simple and reliable method for prediction of residual immunity to smallpox.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, National Institute of Health, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Whan
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Kyung-Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Wan-Bum
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hong-Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Nam-Joong
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Youngmee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: Haewol
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Myoung-don
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Kang-Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Choe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D007428:Intradermal Tests / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012899:Smallpox / Q000276:immunology*; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology*; D038301:Virus Inactivation
chemical_list: D012900:Smallpox Vaccine; D007371:Interferon-gamma